


Nothing Ventured

by DragonSgotenks



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean Winchester, Alpha Sam Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Artificial Insemination, Blow Jobs, Breeding, Fertility Issues, Happy Ending, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Masturbation, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Misunderstandings, Mpreg, Omega Castiel (Supernatural), Rimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:22:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24015157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonSgotenks/pseuds/DragonSgotenks
Summary: When Omega Castiel Novak finds himself pushing 40 with no mate or pups of his own he decides he's done waiting around for Mr. Right and he makes an appointment with his doctor to talk about artificial insemination.However Castiel soon learns that his unmated status means he doesn't qualify for medically assisted fertility treatments or even adoption. With little options left the omega turns to his best friend, Alpha Sam Winchester, in hopes he'll be Castiel's donor for his attempts at an in-home insemination.But DIY baby making isn't as easy as Castiel assumed it would be and the omega struggles with the idea that his dreams of pups might be slipping through his fingers.Things only get more complicated when Sam's brother Dean comes to visit and Castiel starts to feel a strong pull towards the handsome Alpha. But how can he let himself fall for Dean when he might already be carrying a pup sired by Sam?
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 400
Kudos: 761
Collections: The Destiel Fan Survey Favs Collection





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy y'all! Time for a new story!
> 
> Couple of quick notes: This is not a Sam/Cas story. Sam and Cas are very good friends but there is no sex between them and there is no love triangle. Ok if you're still here also beware that tags will update with the story but there will be no major archive warnings and happy ending is guaranteed. 
> 
> As always a big thank you to the amazing [ Beatrix Kiddo](https://twitter.com/__BeatrixKiddo_) for editing and helping me when formatting wants to kick my ass 😂.
> 
> Weekly updates on Tuesdays.
> 
> Please enjoy the story!

* * *

Castiel Novak always considered himself to be a fairly progressive Omega. Not a radical one, but progressive. He believed Omegas should have the same equal rights as Alphas with regards to education, high powered careers, and of course complete autonomy over their own bodies. Including, but not limited to, what they do or do not want in their wombs.

Castiel had also always thought that California was one of the leading states in Omega rights. Which is one of the many reasons he'd chosen to settle in the Golden State after graduating from college.

But right now, sitting in the doctor's office, wearing a thin gown with his naked ass pressed against scratchy paper, Castiel felt like he had suddenly been knocked back into the dark ages, to a time when Omegas were forced to defer to their Alpha counterparts for any and all decisions. All Castiel had wanted was to take a little affirmative action regarding his own fertility.

Instead, Castiel was left staring at his doctor in shock.

"What?"

"I'm sorry Castiel, but we just aren't allowed to offer those services to an unmated Omega. Not even one from such a prestigious family like yours. I'm afraid if you want a pup, you'll have to do it the old fashioned way. You'll be happier with an Alpha in the long run. Pups are a lot of work for single Omegas."

Castiel's lip curled slightly in disgust. Dr. Roberts has been Castiel's Omega physician since he presented at the tender age of 14, and as far as Castiel was concerned, the Alpha was the assbutt to rule all assbutts. The only reason Castiel had stuck with Roberts is because he's the Novak family doctor, and his Mother would have pitched a fit if he went to anyone else.

For the most part, Castiel doesn't spare a lot of thought for the Novak matriarch. His Mother has always had a lot of  _ ideas _ about what was socially acceptable behavior for an Omega and was more than generous with her opinion of how Castiel should be living his life. However, Naomi Novak has never had quite the same control over her youngest son as she did her two oldest. 

There was quite the age gap between Castiel and his Alpha brothers. Mike and Luke were the traditional Alpha male. Raised from infancy to inherit the Novak estate, they had little compassion and firmly believed an Omega’s place was in the home. The fact that their own Omega father Chuck had walked out on them when they were still pups to pursue his writing career only perpetuated their beliefs that an Omega given too much freedom would always make the wrong choice.

Castiel on the other hand was the product of Naomi's second mating, a beautiful young Omega named Hannah who had been too naive and innocent to see through his Mother's games.

Hannah had been a quiet gentle soul but steadfast and strong when it came to her pup. If his Om hadn't insisted on caring for him herself instead of handing him over to the totalitarian nannies Naomi kept on staff, who knows how Castiel would have turned out.

Instead, Cas had been raised with love and compassion and respect. He learned to be gracious and respectful to his Mother for all that she provided, but ultimately it was his Om that he loved and adored. After he had presented as Omega, Naomi had lost most of her interest in him beyond what he could bring in with a good match to a proper Alpha. After seeing Cas bury himself in his work for so many years though, she had written him off as a perpetual bachelor and spinster. If she caught wind he was attempting to have a pup sans mate at the age of 37, Castiel fears she would have a coronary.

He wishes fiercely that his Om was still alive so he could talk to her. It's been almost five years since he had to watch his Omega mom wither away from the cancer inside her, and he still misses her every day. It had been the memories of her strength and poise in all the times she had stood up for him against his Mother that convinced Castiel he could do this on his own. He liked to think that his Om raised him to be a strong, intelligent, independent Omega and as much as he never saw eye to eye with his Alpha Mother, he did try not to butt heads with her simply for argument’s sake.

It wasn't that he was trying to make some political point or that he wanted to have a pup on his own simply to prove he could. Castiel's reasons were very simple. The fact was that at Cas' age, he was getting to the point where if he planned on having pups, he'd need to do it soon or lose his chance forever. He'd spent his twenties building his career and for the most part had no regrets about it. Castiel loved his job as the senior accountant and financial manager for the Winchester, Novak, Milton firm, and he's glad for the years he spent cultivating his skills. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to mate or start his family. He always just assumed he'd get to the mate-and-pups part of his life later, after he was settled, after he'd made a name for himself. Always a later, always an after, until now there was no option of later.

But now Castiel  _ was _ settled. He had a good job he could work remotely with only a few required in-house meetings a month, a good nest egg, and a heart ready to love. Only he doesn't have time anymore to wait around for the right Alpha, so he took his future into his own hands and made an appointment with his doctor, like the adult that he is, to ask about artificial insemination. However, according to Dr. Roberts, Castiel doesn't get to make that decision for himself, because he's an unmated Omega. 

To make matters worse, Castiel had long suspected Roberts of reporting to his Mother after his check ups. Up to this point, it hadn't really mattered to Castiel as he had nothing to hide. He was in perfect health, had no sex life to speak of, spent his heats alone, and generally lead a peaceful, if a tad boring, life. So whatever information Roberts had been ferreting his Mother was bland and droll at the best of times. But now? Now, Castiel wouldn't be able to get within five feet of another doctor without Naomi Novak materializing out of thin air to stop him from ruining their "good family name."

Feeling defeated, Cas redresses and makes his way out of the clinic with a heavy heart. Deciding he could use a pick me up, Castiel heads down town to his favorite little cafe for a hot tea and maybe a little something sweet to lift his spirits. 

An hour later, he's sitting at his favorite table in the back of the cafe picking at a raspberry cheese danish and no closer to a decision on how to continue with his plans than when he started out this morning. Logically, he knows he could probably find a doctor that would work with him if he greased enough palms, but he doesn't want to spend his savings just to  _ get  _ pregnant when he'll need that money for all the other expenses a pup would bring.

The only other option would be to pick up an Alpha, share his heat, and hope for the best. Castiel loathed the thought of sleeping with a complete stranger. The deception also didn't sit right with him. He'd want the Alpha to be informed of what he was attempting, but he also wouldn't want said Alpha to stick around after the fact. Convincing an Alpha to knock him up is one thing, but convincing them to also waive their Alpha rights to a pup is another thing entirely.

Cas sighs and takes a sip of his now cold ginger tea. He's looked into adopting, but again being unmated means he doesn't qualify as a potential parent, which just puts him back at square one. 

The buzz of his phone against the table grabs Cas' attention, and when he sees Sam Winchester's face flashing across the screen, it's like all the stars align and suddenly Castiel can see his future laid out before him. Sam -- his sweet, kind, gentle giant of a friend, his very very  _ Alpha  _ friend -- could be the answer to this little pickle Castiel finds himself in.

With shaky hands, Cas picks up his phone and quickly swipes to open the call.

"Hello, Sam."

"Hey Cas, do you have a sec? I wanted to go over the Monroe file with you before we sign off on the alimony settlement."

"Oh yes, of course. I'm actually away from my desk but I can be back to the office in an hour."

"Sounds great Cas, thanks."

"Sam, wait. I, um, I was wondering if you might want to grab lunch tomorrow? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Is everything alright?"

Cas can picture the little pinch between Sam's brow when he hears the note of concern in the Alpha's voice.

"Oh yes, everything is fine. I just have some things going on in my personal life and could use a friend to bounce ideas off of."

He can tell he's piqued Sam's interest when he makes a soft "oh" sound into the receiver. Sam is Castiel's oldest and dearest friend, and they often get together to catch up, especially when work has kept them too busy to see each other around the office. The hint of possible gossip should be enough to guarantee Sam will take him up on his offer.

"Yeah okay, sure Cas. What sounds good? Chinese? We can go to that place with the really good egg rolls."

"That sounds lovely, Sam. I'll call and make us a reservation for tomorrow. I'm finishing up now and will head in to go over that file for you."

"Great. See you later, Cas."

"Bye, Sam."

Cas lets out a long, slow breath. He feels a twinge of guilt for not just saying outright to Sam what he plans to really talk with him about, but Cas wants to be prepared before pitching the idea to his friend. For now, he needs to get to work. But tonight he has some research to do.

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


It's almost 2:00 a.m., and Cas is still sitting in front of his laptop. His eyes feel dry and itchy from staring at the screen for so long. His attempts to find instructions for at-home insemination were not very successful, but he had stumbled across a number of Omega blogs for people struggling to conceive. They were full of useful information like best positions, how to track your highest peak of ovulation, and how often you should knot for best chances of catching during your heat.

Castiel was fascinated and, after many hours of research, he thinks he's come up with a good plan of action. He knows he doesn't actually want to sleep with Sam. As much as he can appreciate his friend’s looks, Cas just simply isn't attracted to the Alpha. No, all Castiel would need from Sam would be a "deposit" into a cup, and Cas could handle the rest. It couldn't get any easier than that for the Alpha, and Castiel felt confident enough to finally close his laptop and drag himself to bed.

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


The next morning is spent going over quarterly projections and end-of-year finances. Cas tries grounding himself in the steadfast nature of crunching numbers, but he finds his mind wandering often. What if Sam says no? What if Sam says yes? Castiel's entire future hangs on his friend's decision, and the poor man has no idea.

After going over the same file twice without remembering a single word he's read, Cas finally gives up and leaves for lunch early. He decides to walk to help rid himself of some of his nervous energy and also to kill a bit of time. The air has a chill that promises snow later, so Cas bundles up with his soft cardigan and trusty beige trenchcoat as well as the soft jewel tone scarf he knit last winter. He walks at a leisurely pace despite the cold letting the bustle of last-minute shoppers and glitzy holiday displays distract him.

Even with his slow pace, Castiel arrives a good twenty minutes early to the restaurant. Luckily the place isn't too crowded, so the hostess seats him right away and brings him a pot of tea while he waits for Sam to arrive. Cas works hard at tamping down his nerves. The last thing he wants is to flood the place with the stench of worried Omega. 

Fifteen minutes later, his nose twitches with the smell of juniper before a bright familiar voice is greeting him.

"Hey, Cas. Hope you weren't waiting long."

Castiel smiles up into the happy face of Sam Winchester before he gets to his feet and accepts the tight hug from his friend. Castiel can't help but think of the gangly beanpole of an Alpha Sam had been when they first met at Stanford all those years ago. The man had really grown into himself, and Cas finds himself filled with a sense of pride to have such a wonderful friend. His nerves come back with a vengeance all at once when he has the passing thought that this may be crossing a line that could end their friendship.

Sam pulls away, and Cas can tell he's picked up the scent of his distress by the tight lines around his mouth.

"Everything okay, Cas?"

He tries to reign in his scent and waves off Sam's concern.

"Yes Sam, everything's fine. I just have a lot on my mind. Why don't we order, and then we can talk while we eat."

Sam looks like he's going to argue for a moment before relenting and taking his seat. They order their meals and sit in an awkward silence while Cas fidgets with his fork and Sam stares at him with lifted brows. Castiel has no idea how to broach the subject delicately, so he takes a deep breath and just dives right in. With his eyes trained on the table, Cas clears his throat and starts talking.

"So, I have no idea how to say this. Yesterday, I had an appointment with my doctor and-"

The burning scent of Alpha grief floods his nose and makes him sneeze. Finally lifting his eyes up, Castiel takes in Sam's devastated face.

"Oh god, Cas, is it,  _ fuck,  _ is it cancer?"

Cas' own face twists into a look of confusion.

"What? No. Why would you…oh. Oh no, Sam, I'm so sorry. That didn't come out the way it should have. I'm not sick or dying, Sam."

Sam breathes a sigh of relief, and Castiel waits a few moments for his friend to collect himself. This was not off to a good start. How was he supposed to segue into talking about Sam's sperm after scaring the hell out of the poor man?

"I'm sorry, Cas. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, but you're just acting so odd and then when you started talking about the doctor, my mind ran away from me for a bit." Sam pauses to gulp down half his glass of water. "Please, go on." 

Cas takes a moment to collect his thoughts as their food arrives.

"Um okay, well, as you know Sam, I've always wanted to have a little family of my own, a mate and pups to come home to, but I'm getting up there in age, and the whole Mate thing is just not happening for me."

"I thought things were going well with that Inias guy you met last month."

Cas grimaces as he thinks of the Alpha he'd met at his brother's annual Thanksgiving dinner. They had seemed to hit it off but after only a few dates, it was clear things wouldn't work out between them.

"No. According to Inias, he really liked me and enjoyed our time together, but he wouldn't think of mating an Omega over 30."

It's Sam's turn to grimace as he takes a big bite of his sweet and sour pork.

"Jeez, what an asshole," he says around the food in his mouth.

"Yes, well anyways as I was saying, the mate thing isn't really in the cards for me, so after a lot of thought, I approached my doctor about having pups on my own. With artificial insemination."

Sam chokes on his mouthful for a moment before gulping the rest of his glass of water and motioning for Castiel to continue.

Feeling a little wary after Sam's reaction, Cas continues with a little less confidence.

"Apparently though, unmated Omegas can't get medically-assisted insemination. I checked and that's the law for all of California. Several Omega rights groups have been working to change fertility laws for a number of years now, and while California is one of the more progressive states, it's still years behind where it should be."

Sam sets down his fork and frowns.

"Wow Cas, I'm sorry. I know how much having pups means to you. Did you want to look into working with the groups on passing the laws? We can add them into our pro bono cases."

Castiel smiles at how quickly Sam goes into fix-it mode.

"That would be fantastic Sam, thank you. But I wasn't quite done yet. You see, I still very much want to have a pup, and while having my doctor reject my idea narrows my options, it doesn't completely leave me with nothing. You see, the law simply states that a doctor can't provide Alpha sperm or insemination services to an unmated Omega. There is nothing to stop me from simply getting pregnant on my own. All I need is an Alpha willing to donate to the cause."

"Oh, well that's not so bad. Do you have anyone in mind?"

Cas looks at Sam for a long moment before the Alpha's eyes suddenly widen in surprise. Cas can see the denial on Sam's lips well before he actually starts speaking, and he hurries to cut his friend off.

"I'm not asking you to sleep with me. I don't want sex. And I don't want to mate or trap you in anything you don't want. In fact, if you agreed to this, I would prefer to have your Alpha rights waived so that I would be the sole provider and caretaker for the pup. You'd just be cool Uncle Sam, basically. So really, I don't need anything from you but your sperm, Sam."

The Alpha's face goes deep red as he darts his eyes around to make sure no one overheard Cas' rather blunt declaration.

"Jesus Cas, keep it down. You can't just  _ say  _ stuff like that."

Cas feels his bubble of hope pop at Sam's harsh reprimand. He knew it was a lot to ask, but he had hoped Sam would at least think about it. Now he feels flustered and unsure of himself.

"My apologies, Sam. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Sam takes a deep calming breath and shakes his head.

"No Cas, shit, that's not what I- I mean it was just really unexpected, that's all."

Cas just shrugs. He has no idea where to go from here outside of just bailing. He knows his scent must be wafting distress, but he can't help it. Sam reaches across the table to gently grasp his wrist.

"Cas, please explain it to me again. Give me all the details, and I promise to think about it."

Looking up into the warm hazel eyes of his friend, Cas feels a little spark of hope flare back to life inside his chest. Over the next 30 minutes, he explains in excruciating detail his plan. Sam sits across from him quietly and takes it all in. Their food grows cold, and Cas asks the waitress to box it up. He hasn't eaten a bite. When he's finally finished, Sam nods his head once, thanks Cas for explaining, and says he needs a few days to think it over.

They hug goodbye, and Cas watches his friend walk away with his stomach tied in knots. Now all he can do is wait.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Tuesday y'all! 
> 
> Please enjoy chapter 2!
> 
> Also if you notice something you think needs to be tagged please don't hesitate to let me know.

* * *

For three agonizing days Castiel waits for Sam to think things over. He can't concentrate on work, so he adds a few miles to his daily run but still feels keyed up throughout the day. He even tries going for a massage, but after 45 minutes of some of the best-trained hands in the city, Castiel feels like he left more stressed than when he arrived.

Finally, when he feels ready to crack and call Sam for an update, the Alpha sends him a text asking to meet up.

Now Cas looks at his dear friend from across his kitchen table. The silence between them is heavy until Sam clears his throat and leans forward to speak in a low voice, his brows pinched together in earnest.

"First of all, I just want to tell you how touched I am that you felt comfortable enough to come to me for this."

Castiel lets out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. This sounds like the start of a very polite rejection. He can't say he didn't see it coming, but he also can't deny the painful sting of disappointment either. If he was ever to have a chance, his friend Sam was it. 

Even though Cas thought he'd kept his expectations in check, he realizes he'd still hoped. That the pups in his head had taken on shaggy brown hair with dimpled smiles and sweet eyes. He may not be sexually attracted to his Alpha friend, but he can't deny the man is beautiful and any pups he fathered would be beautiful, too. Apparently they just won't be Cas' pups.

"Cas? Castiel, did you hear me?"

Sam's voice pulls him back from his rambling thoughts.

"No Sam, I'm sorry. I got a little lost in my thoughts."

The Alpha's face goes soft and he reaches out to cover Cas' hand resting on the table with his own.

"Cas, I said I'll do it. I'll help you have a pup."

Castiel's eyes search Sam's face trying to make sure he heard right as his chest fills with joy until he feels like he could burst. Sam said yes? Sam said yes! 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah, I've, uh, given it a lot of thought and honestly I've never been interested in having kids. I'm more of a dog person," Sam says with a little tick of his lips like he's fighting a smile. "I want to be there for you and help you during your pregnancy, but after the pup's born, I'm happy to take a step back and just be ‘Cool Uncle Sam.’ I don't have any actual nieces or nephews, so I'd love it if your pup filled that roll."

Cas practically leaps from his seat to wrap his arms around his friend.

"Thank you, Sam! God, I can't tell you how much this means to me."

Sam pats his back softly for a few moments before Cas pulls away to settle back in his own seat.

"I know, Cas. I've spent years listening to you talk about all the things you planned on doing once you had a family. I know how happy you are around your brothers’ kids. I've seen the way you treat others with kindness and generosity, and I know you'll make a great dad, Cas. That's why I'm saying yes. You're the only Omega I'd do this for."

Cas can feel his eyes welling up with tears, but he blinks them away before they can fall. He's enough of a mess as it is without adding tears to the mix. He gives Sam a watery smile, and they spend the rest of the afternoon hashing out schedules and details. Castiel has three weeks before his next heat, and he wants to make sure they are both prepared.

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


The plan goes something like this. Sam will come to stay in the guestroom at Castiel's apartment for the 4 days of the Omega's heat. This was essential as the window of viability between the moment Sam "makes a deposit" and the moment Castiel inseminates himself is small at best. 

One thing all the books and blogs had agreed on was to follow quality over quantity. Having Sam refrain from all sexual activity, including masturbation, for a few days leading up to his first deposit would lead to a more potent "product." After the first day, they would continue with a single deposit a day for the rest of Cas' heat.

So Sam would hang out and catch up on his reading while Cas stayed locked away in his room attempting to shoot Alpha come far enough up his ass to catch. 

It was simple.

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


Three weeks later, Castiel is pacing his apartment nervously waiting for Sam to arrive. He's spent the last few days getting the place ready, but now that the big day was here, he was feeling nervous. He was still in the very early stages of his heat, but he wanted to have his wits about him when he got Sam settled in.

At this point, Castiel was warm and his stomach was crampy, but he had hours before his temperature would spike and the clawing need to be mounted would overtake him. The doorbell ringing throughout the room breaks him out of his thoughts, and Cas rushes to answer the door.

Sam is standing there in dark jeans and several layers of shirts topped with a blue flannel and a grey beanie to cover his head. He's got a duffle bag slung over one shoulder and a small awkward smile on his face. His juniper scent is powerful after walking up the four flights of stairs to Castiel's apartment, and he looks years younger than the high powered lawyer Cas works with at the office. When Sam clears his throat, Cas realizes he's just been standing there staring as Sam fidgets from foot to foot. He quickly steps back to let his friend in.

"Guest bedroom?" Sam asks as he points to his bag.

"Oh yeah, let me show you what I set up."

Cas leads Sam to the guest room with red cheeks. The room is fairly simple: a queen bed with soft sheets and a lovely yellow quilt that Castiel's Om made, a nightstand with a simple lamp, and a dresser that sits low and long with a small flat screen tv on top of it. It's the supplies laid out on the dresser that have Cas' face flushing with more than just heat.

"Ok, so make yourself at home. You know where the bathroom is, and I left you some towels as well. I'll be using my en suite so don't worry about a mess or anything. Um, I set up the tv with pay-per-view if you need any visual stimulus. The password is just 1111, and don't hesitate to charge anything to the account." Sam's face was now just as red as his own, but Cas barreled on before he lost momentum.

"Here are the specimen cups. Don't take them out of the package until you're ready to use them, please. Also this is sperm friendly lube-"

"What?" Sam's eyes were as big as saucers as he took in the rather large bottle of lube on the dresser. Castiel admits he may have gone a little overboard with the size of the bottle, but it was necessary and he figured better safe than sorry.

"Most lubricants outside of natural Omega slick have spermicide in them even if they aren't labeled as such. This is sperm _friendly_ lube to keep all your little swimmers moving long enough to get the job done."

Sam nods along as he drops his duffle on the foot of the bed. He doesn't seem to have anything to say, and Castiel's nerves have him scrambling to fill the silence.

"Right, okay, well the kitchen is stocked, so eat whatever and if you want to order in, my card info is on the fridge. Please allow me to pay for any meals you'd like ordered in. Um, so I'll be spending the majority of my time in my room. You'll only need to knock when it's time to hand over your...um, the cup, when it's time to hand over the cup."

"Okay Cas, that sounds easy enough. How are you feeling now?"

Sam has started pulling clothes out of his bag and filling the drawers. Cas takes a deep breath. They've got four days to get through; he needs to get a hold of himself.

"I'm in the early stages yet. I was thinking of making dinner real quick before I head to my room if you'd like to join me. Once things ramp up, I'll text you when I'm ready, so keep your phone handy."

Sam nods again and follows Cas to the kitchen. The Alpha seems unusually quiet, but he doesn't smell upset or anxious so Cas doesn't push.

They have grilled chicken salad for dinner since Cas doesn't want anything heavy sitting in his stomach when the cramps really get going. Plus, he likes fueling up with lots of greens before his body spends the next few days living off of bland dense protein bars and too-sweet Gatorade.

By the time they've eaten and loaded the dishwasher, Cas has sweat beading along his forehead and, judging by the way Sam's nose twitches, his heat scent is blossoming around them. When he feels the familiar tingle of slick forming, he decides it's time to beat a hasty retreat to his room. Sam's been to Castiel's house enough times to know where everything is, so the Omega doesn't feel _too_ bad about just abandoning the Alpha to entertain himself.

Once Cas is in his room, he bolts the door, more out of habit than a fear of the Alpha in his house. His own room is not much different than the guest room, apart from the mini fridge on the opposite side of his bed from his nightstand, two overstuffed bookshelves, and of course the absolute pile of soft downy blankets and pillows on top of his bed he'll be using to form his nest.

The plastic cover was on his mattress and there was a stack of clean sheets to get him through the days to come. His mini fridge was stocked with water and blue Gatorade, and a little basket on top held his protein bars and other small snacks. His night stand held the inflatable knot he'd need before his heat was up, and on top of the dresser arranged in a neat line were individually wrapped syringes, the kind used to give small children medication without a needle attached. 

Castiel stares at the items on his dresser for a long moment. He certainly never thought this would be the way he conceived his children. His fantasies have always involved a loving mate and sharing an intimate heat and then the joy of finding out they were going to be parents. He lets his feelings of grief over the loss of that fantasy fill him for a few moments before shaking off his feelings of melancholy to focus on the possibilities ahead of him.

He would still have his moment of joy, still have his family and pup to love, even if it would be a little less conventional. A harsh cramp and a wave of heat hits him hard enough to bring him back to the moment at hand. His heat was ramping up, and pretty soon he'd be nothing but a writhing mess of slick and sweat and need.

Before he loses too much of his senses, Cas sets up his supplies for his first attempt at inseminating himself. He shoots Sam a text and jumps in the shower while he still can. By the time he's tying his towel around his hips, slick is starting to trickle down the backs of his thighs, and he hears a soft knock on his door.

Cas shuffles across the room with a firm grip on his damp towel. Sam stands in the doorway, his clothes rumpled and a plastic specimen cup in hand with a concerned look on his face. His pupils dilate sharply and then blow wide as the increased scent of Omega heat hits him, but other than that he doesn't react to Cas beyond his soft expression and furrowed brow.

"Hey Cas," he passes over the cup. "You gonna be okay on your own? Want me to get you anything? Maybe some water? Tea? There's a few extra throw blankets out here on the couch."

The corner of Cas' mouth ticks up a smidge as he listens to Sam ramble. The Alpha's instincts are flaring under the assault of Castiel's pheromones telling him to provide and care for Cas' Omega.

"No. Thank you Sam, but I'm ok. I've got plenty of water and protein bars, and I'll be fine handling everything else. Thank you for this, again."

Sam looked like he wanted to say more, but Cas quickly shut the door and replaced the locks. He'd have to apologize to his friend later; right now, he was working against the clock. Sperm have a very short life span outside of the body, and if Cas wanted this to work, he needed to get Sam's deposit inside him as quickly as possible.

It's not very coordinated and it's definitely not pretty and Cas _may_ have gagged once or twice listening to the squelch of come being sucked up into the little syringe, but he got himself on his back with his knees pulled to his chest. He was slick enough from his heat that the plastic cylinder went in easily. 

Cas takes a deep breath and with shaky fingers pushes down the plunger, filling himself with Alpha seed for the first time in his life. 

This was it, no turning back now. If anything, the only feelings swirling within him were excitement and relief. This could be the start of his own little family. Slowly pulling the syringe out of his ass, Castiel sets his feet flat on the bed and tilts his hips up to keep the precious fluid from leaking out before it can do its job.

The need that had been building inside him is cooled dramatically by the Alpha come inside of him, and it leaves Castiel a little lost in his thoughts. He'd always preferred to spend his heats alone, and normally that meant days of sweating, aching, need clawing through his veins with brief reprieves when he was able to come on an inflatable knot.

Feeling the hormonal changes from the come now coating his insides has a deep twinge of sadness throbbing in Castiel's chest. All the years he now realized he suffered needlessly because he didn't have a mate and now most likely never would have him feeling alone and bereft.

As he lowers his hips and feels the first slippery trail of come leak out of him, Cas remembers what he's trying to accomplish right now. So it's not his mate's come or his mate's knot getting him through this heat. In the end, he'll hopefully be that much closer to having his own pup and yeah heats alone suck, but he's been just fine for the last twenty-plus years, and he'll be just fine for however long he still has before menopause hits.

Cas spends the rest of the afternoon carefully building his nest and alternating between riding a fake knot and talking himself out of asking Sam for more come. He knows the cocktail of distress and heat scent pumping from his glands would have Sam agreeing to just about anything right now, so it was up to Cas to keep himself in check.

Over the next few days, Castiel spent his mornings hydrating and using his own hands to bring him some relief until he can't hold out any longer, and the Omega would send out a text to Sam for his daily deposit. After the first day, their system had evolved into Cas sending a text and a few minutes later, a loud knock would sound on his door. He'd drag himself away from his nest just long enough to grab the little plastic cup from where Sam was now just leaving it by his door. Like a man possessed, Cas would quickly load up a new syringe and get the Alpha seed as deep inside himself as he could. He'd spend five minutes with his hips tilted skyward and then he'd get his first and only blessed relief for the day.

By the time Cas' heat ends, both Alpha and Omega are frazzled and exhausted, but they part ways cautiously optimistic that their endeavor was successful. Cas promises to call Sam as soon as he knows anything, and then Castiel is once again left alone. He takes some time to change his sheets, start a load of laundry, and take out the trash. 

With his cramps now gone, Cas' appetite returns with a vengeance, so he orders in Thai and eats over the sink until his exhaustion finally gets the best of him and he crawls into his empty bed and passes out for his first full night’s sleep in days.

Later, he'll have time to fret and be nervous, but for now Cas lets his body rest and his heart hope.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are we feeling? Do you think it worked?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy tuesday y'all! Enjoy chapter 3! 
> 
> I'm so enjoying hearing what y'all think is going to happen!

* * *

Castiel stares down at the single pink line on the stick in his hands willing a second line to appear. After a solid five minutes with no change, he drops the negative pregnancy test into the garbage and walks out to his room feeling numb. He sends a text to Sam to let him know the verdict and then shuts off his phone before a reply can come through.

He doesn't think he can handle Sam's attempts at comfort today. This was his fourth unsuccessful heat since he had started trying to have a pup. Four times now he's sat alone in his bathroom with anxiety and hope swirling so strong in his gut that he thought he would puke. Four times, he's had to come to grips with the suffocating feeling of failure when his hopes were snuffed out. 

For nine months, he's been dragging Sam along on this crazy idea of his. The Alpha never complained and had promised to stick it out with Cas as long as he wanted to keep trying, but at this point, the Omega was beyond frustrated and heartbroken.

He just can't figure out what he was doing wrong.

Cas knows the problem must be him. Even though he's been told numerous times he's in good health and for the time being still fertile and able to conceive, Castiel has convinced himself someone must have made a mistake somewhere. Maybe he'd already waited too long and his age was keeping him from having a pup after all.

He just feels tired and defeated, and it was becoming harder and harder to remember why he was doing this to himself and to poor Sam. Even though they aren't mated, Cas knows it's a blow to Sam's inner Alpha every time the Omega fails to get pregnant. His friend is too nice to ever mention it, but Castiel knows it's taking a toll on Sam.

Wanting to just get out of his head for a while, Cas tries to nap, but he can't stop thinking so he gets up and attempts to do some work on his laptop. Forty minutes later, he slams the laptop shut in frustration. He just couldn't focus. Finally, the antsy feeling of his skin being too tight and his thoughts being too big drives Cas to try going for a run in the hopes it will clear his mind and settle his body.

Cas had started running in college when the pressure of an overloaded course schedule and a need to prove his worth to his Mother had him close to a mental breakdown. The on-campus counselor had recommended running as a way to relieve stress, and Castiel had been doing it ever since. Most mornings, he does a solid three miles before work, but when he's got a problem chasing him, Cas has been known to push it to six.

He throws on his running shoes, does a few quick stretches, and heads out the door. Cas starts off slow, letting his muscles warm up and loosen before he picks up a steady rhythmic pace. The late September afternoon is warm and clear. He passes a young family and a couple of neighbors with their dogs out trying to enjoy the sun and fresh air. Castiel nods a hello as he passes by but doesn't slow to make conversation. As his feet hit the pavement and his lungs work to keep his breathing steady, he can feel his mind slip into that blank space that always helps him to center himself.

He thinks about his dream of having his own family. Pups to love and nurture and watch grow.

He breathes in, breathes out, left foot, right foot.

He thinks about the exhaustion and frustration he feels with each failed attempt. He thinks about the haggard face of his friend after each heat spent cooped up in Cas' apartment together.

Breathe in, breathe out, left foot, right foot.

His feet eat up the pavement, and Cas knows what he should do. What the _logical_ choice would be at this point. He has one more heat before the year is up. Does he really want to spend it trying to get himself pregnant while simultaneously jacking off and crying over not having a mate to help him through it? Statistically, the chances of him catching this last heat after having four unsuccessful ones are slim. If Cas makes an appointment this week, he could get on suppressants instead and skip this last heat all together.

Instead of being a hormonal weeping mess, Cas could spend the holidays with his nieces and nephews. His Mother has been suspiciously quiet about this whole ordeal, so either Castiel was being paranoid about Dr. Roberts’ loyalties, or his Mother was confident enough in his inability to get what he wanted that she wasn't worried. Either way, his invitation to his siblings’ Christmas party had not been rescinded. Sam, too, would be free to travel to see his own family in South Dakota. Cas knows he has a brother and an uncle out there that have never made it out to California. 

It wasn't what he wanted, but maybe it was time Castiel accepted that this was his life and it wasn't going to change, that maybe being an Om just wasn't in the cards for him. And while it's not what he had pictured for himself, it could still be good enough.

Cas slowly comes to a stop some four miles from home in the middle of a park he hadn't realized he was in. Never before has Castiel's heart and mind been so out of sync. Maybe he should talk to Sam and get the opinion of someone less conflicted. Turning on his heel, Cas starts back towards home and hopefully a final decision.

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


When Cas calls Sam, the Alpha is understanding but surprisingly adamant that Castiel should wait to go on suppressants.

"Look Cas, if you need a break, take one. But I think it's way too early to be talking suppressants."

"But what if it's not meant to happen? What if I'm just beating a dead horse while putting both of us through hell every heat? Lots of people live very fulfilling lives without pups. Mother always said I didn't know when to give up the ghost."

Cas hated how needy and insecure he sounded, like the old Omega stereotype of needing an Alpha's approval for every decision. But he's just so conflicted. A quiet angry growl came through the phone, and Cas was surprised to hear his friend so worked up.

"Man, Cas, no offense, but fuck your mother. She's a traditionalist bitch, and you know it. Also, yeah, lots of people are happy not having pups, but that's because it was their _choice_ not to have pups."

Castiel was shocked by Sam's outburst but couldn't really argue with what he was saying. 

"So, you think I should keep trying?"

Sam huffs out a humorless laugh.

"Tell me something, Cas. Do you really want to stop? Would you really be happy if you gave up without being sure you'd exhausted every opportunity?"

Shaking his head even though Sam couldn't see him, Cas didn't even have to think to know his answer. He wouldn't be happy. He would spend years wondering if things would have been different if he hadn't given up. 

"No, I wouldn't. Thank you, Sam. I was having a hard time seeing the forest for the trees."

"No problem, Cas. I just want you to be happy, man. You deserve it." Sam's voice was warm with affection, and it brought the first real smile to Castiel's face all day.

They say their goodbyes, and Cas lets out a heavy breath feeling the majority of his tension release with it. He still had a lot to think about, but at this point, he's at least established that he wasn't ready to call it quits just yet. Taking a break for his next heat may still be a good idea, though. 

For now, Cas was done thinking about it. The Omega decides it's a good night to order an extra large meat lover's pizza and drink whatever alcohol he can find in his apartment and just zone out in front of his tv. 

That plan turns out to be great in theory but not easily executed since, in an effort to be healthy while trying to conceive, Cas had gotten rid of all his alcohol. Grumbling his discontent, he settles for ordering a large soda with his pizza.

Flicking through channels while waiting for his food, Cas can't stop his mind from thinking about Sam's words. Right now, he doesn't feel like he can handle another unsuccessful heat. Nine months and four heats might not sound like a lot for a young mated couple trying to have pups, but for Cas, it felt like an eternity. Every unsuccessful heat was another nail in the coffin of his fertility. Add to that the way his heats have become more severe with the introduction of Alpha semen, and Castiel is just tired. It had felt like a long shot from the beginning, anyway.

A knock at his door breaks him from his thoughts, and Cas quickly answers and collects his food. He eats right out of the box while sitting on his couch and vaguely listening to some medical drama about a sexy doctor or a cowboy doctor or a sexy doctor who wears cowboy boots? Cas isn't really paying attention. 

On one hand, Castiel just wants to stop now and start focusing on what kind of future he can make for himself from here. But on the other hand, his heart aches at the thought of never having a pup. He thinks of the sweet image he'd conjured up when Sam had first agreed to help him.

He imagines the weight of his son or daughter in his arms. He imagines tucking them in at night with bedtime stories and forehead kisses, bandaging scraps, watching school plays, and late nights spent making last minute cupcakes for bake sales.

It's everything he longs for, and the thought of giving it up has tears prickling the backs of Castiel's eyes. 

No, Castiel wasn't ready to give up quite yet.

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


Surprisingly enough, it was Castiel's brother Michael that finally helped Cas make his decision.

Michael was very much a "traditional" Alpha and had been personally groomed by their Mother over the years to take her place as head of the Novak "empire" once she was ready to retire. So, in short, Michael was a pretentious son of a bitch, and Castiel had never really gotten on with him. The 12-year age gap between them didn't help matters either, but mostly it was Michael's views on Omegas that set Castiel's teeth on edge.

However, Michael's children were still young and sweet, and Castiel loved them dearly. Between both of his Alpha brothers, Castiel was the proud uncle to no less than seven nieces and nephews -- Michael with his four boys and Luke with two daughters and one little boy who was still a nursing pup.

With the holidays coming up soon and his brother planning his annual party, which usually had more business associates in attendance than family, Castiel had stopped by to lend a hand to Hester, Michael's mate. As awkward as Castiel tended to be at most social functions, he was rather good at planning for them. He enjoyed the process, like a riddle that could be solved with good organization and precise planning.

While they had been deep in conversation bent over guest lists and food lists and wine lists, the youngest boys Adam and Noah came crashing through the back door laughing as their father chased them into the kitchen. Castiel blinked in surprise but was fascinated by the way his brother's smiling face looked 10 years younger as he played with his boys. In that moment, Michael didn't look like the ominous head of a large and prestigious family. He just looked like a father happy to be with his children. 

All four of Michael's sons were too young to have presented, and Cas wondered quietly to himself if the obvious love his brother has for his kids would outweigh their Mother's teachings should one of them present Omega. But right now, seeing the change in his brother was like an electric shock, and suddenly Castiel knew exactly what he wanted.

He realizes he's staring when the boys give a cry of "uncle Cas!" before rushing towards him for a hug. Cas gets his arms open just in time to catch the boys and bring them in for a snuggle. He drops kisses onto the tops of their blonde heads and breathes in the sweet scent of pup. Michael nods his head in greeting and leans down to place a chaste kiss on Hester's lips when she tilts her chin up in invitation. They nuzzle against each other gently for a moment to scent each other. It's intimate and loving in a way that Castiel isn't used to seeing his brother, and it has him questioning how well he really knows Michael.

The Alpha heards Adam and Noah out of the kitchen, leaving the two Omegas to finish their planning, but Castiel is too distracted to be of much help. Eventually, he gives in and bids his sister-in-law goodbye with the excuse of not feeling well and a promise to help when he was feeling better.

He doesn't even wait until he gets home to call Sam and let the Alpha know they were a go for his next heat. It would be his last chance for the year, and Castiel suddenly had a good feeling that this would be the one to stick. With a clear goal in mind, Castiel headed home to do what he did best: research. He'd scour the internet until he found every available tip, trick, and snake oil that would help his chances of getting his pup. 

First thing Castiel decides is that they need to up the amount of times he inseminates himself each day. All the blogs might say once is best, but that's for mated couples experiencing a complete knotting. With his little cup and syringe method, Castiel isn't coming close to the same hormonal response. If they space it out to a morning, afternoon, and evening deposit, then it could also help even out the rest of the side effects he'd been experiencing since introducing his body to Alpha semen.

As soon as Castiel gets home, he gets himself set up in front of his laptop and starts taking notes. He digs much deeper this time around, now that he knows he needs more information than just _how_ to go about getting himself pregnant.

By the time Cas looks at the clock, his eyes are dry, his back is aching, and his wallet is considerably lighter. He's ordered a basal body thermometer, herbal supplements, and several promising books on diet, exercise, and how to chart his cycle to know when he was at the most optimal point in his heat to catch.

He's just getting ready to call it a night when another website catches his eye. It's an anonymous chat group for people with fertility issues. Castiel isn't sure he really fits that description but figures it might be helpful, so he makes a profile and starts clicking through the different discussion forums. He's deep in the comment sections of a thread about an Omega who ended up having triplets after 6 years of trying when a little notification for a private message popped up on his screen.

  
  


**_Hello Seven89!_ **

**_Welcome to the Friends Helping Friends server. We are so happy to have you here. I'm your moderator PieEater67 and if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to message me. We know that not everyone is open to discussion, even when done anonymously, so lurkers are more than welcome._ **

**_Our rules are simple._ **

**_Be kind, be courteous, and of course everything is to remain strictly anonymous._ **

**_We hope you can find what you need here on your fertility journey._**

  
  


Cas raised his eyebrows as he read through the message.

  
  


**-Your handle is PieEater67 and you moderate a fertility forum?**

  
  


**_Haha yeah unfortunately once you sign up you can't change your handle. I thought it was funny when I joined but it has been a little ridiculous since I was promoted to moderator two years ago. Is there a particular issue you wanted to explore here? I can point you in the right direction plus link you some great archive references._ **

  
  


Cas bit his lip in thought. He didn't like lying but he also didn't want to end up on some FBI watchlist for trying to get around the current Omega laws. He chooses his words carefully before sending his reply.

  
  


**-My partner and I are trying late in life for pups. We've had four unsuccessful heats, even though medically there is nothing wrong with us. I'm looking for any advice to help boost my chances. More than likely if I don't get pregnant by the end of next year, I won't ever get pregnant.**

  
  


**_I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. You'll find you're not alone here. We have several members in similar situations as yourself. Let me do a little digging and then I'll send you a few helpful links._ **

  
  


**-Thank you PieEater, I appreciate your help.**

**_Any time Seven! And good luck!_ **

  
  
  


A few minutes later, a message comes through with a half dozen links to advice columns, position diagrams, and discussion threads about couples who struggled to conceive and how they overcame their issues to have pups. It was a treasure trove, and Cas ended up staying up reading until the new day’s light was peeking through the windows. Exhausted but feeling more hopeful than ever, Cas shuts down his computer and crawls into his bed for some much needed sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are we feeling? 😀


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy howdy! I forgot it was Tuesday 😂
> 
> TW for this chapter: Cas talks about a restrictive diet meant to boost hormones and fertility. Also the continued theme of fertility issues.
> 
> As always a big thank you to Beatrix_Kiddo for editing!
> 
> Please enjoy!

* * *

The room was silent except for the sound of harsh panting and low grunts. Sweat was dripping into Castiel's eyes, and his shirt was plastered to his back. His thighs burned and quivered as he worked his body up and down in a steady rhythm.

The ping of a new message on his phone breaks Cas' concentration, and he loses his rhythm. With an "oof," the Omega drops down from his last squat and lands on his ass. This new workout was a killer, but more than one expert suggested that one’s fitness level affected fertility, and Cas didn't want to leave anything up to chance. While he's maintained a steady running schedule for years, he hasn't done much else, so the Omega had added a few strength training exercises to his routine. Leg day was the worst, but he had to admit his thighs were looking pretty nice these days from all the squats.

Still panting slightly, Cas lays back and lets his legs stretch out with a groan. His phone pings again, and Cas reaches out to snatch it from its spot on the floor where it's sitting with his water bottle and the small towel he uses to mop up his sweat. Tapping in his passcode and swiping his lockscreen open, Cas can't stop the smile that breaks out across his face. He had another message from PieEater67. Cas hated referring to his new friend with such a ridiculous name, but even after almost a month, Pie stayed strictly to the anonymous rule of the Friends Helping Friends forum.

  
  


_**Hey Seven,** _

_**Dude you have to check out this video! I saw it this morning and thought of you.** _

_**(<https://youtu.be/dZiJkicepzM> )** _

_**Also just a heads up I'm going out of town for a bit and I'm not sure how reliable my connection will be for a while. If you need help with forum stuff just message Qu33nofM00ndor, she's going to moderate for the next few weeks. I'll still check my dm's though so feel free to hit me up.** _

_**~PieEater67** _

  
  


Cas clicks the link, and a video of an old feral cat getting rescued and given a home starts to play. It ends with the old guy curled up in bed with two rescue kittens and Cas' eyes suspiciously glossy. Pie knows how much he loves these little videos. Even though they don't know things like first names or where each other lived, they did know a lot of other things about one another.

After the first couple of weeks, Cas had come clean about not having an actual partner and, after Pie had expressed an interest, went into great detail about their current insemination methods. Pie knew that Cas was struggling to conceive because he'd waited so long before trying to have pups and how scared Cas was that he'd missed his chance. They also talked a lot about Cas' secret dream of moving to the suburbs to start an urban homestead with lots of small animals, his love of numbers, and the dozens of hats and scarfs he knits but keeps in a box because he doesn't know what to do with them.

In turn, Cas knew Pie was an unmated Alpha who had experienced an intense case of the mumps as a child that affected his ability to sire pups. He hasn't dated since his last relationship ended bitterly when he failed to impregnate his fiance after 3 years of trying. She ended up leaving Pie and in less than 4 months was mated to a new Alpha and pregnant with twins. It had been a big blow to Pie's self esteem and ever since he's stuck to casual company or nights at home tinkering in his garage. 

Cas knows the Alpha loves pie, classic rock, and classic cars.  He's also very thoughtful. He sends Castiel encouraging stories and articles and checks in with him often. It's been nice to have someone think about him like that. Cas has several good friends, including Sam, but most people assume if Cas needed anything he'd ask for help, because that's the kind of guy Castiel is. 

But sometimes it was nice to have someone reach out just because they were thinking of him. Cas looked forward to every message from his new friend and felt a little sad that they may not be able to spend as much time talking while Pie is on his trip. 

He types out a quick reply thanking Pie for the video and wishing him safe travels before hauling himself back up to his feet to do his cool-down stretches. With his workout finished, the Omega makes his way to the kitchen to blend up a green smoothie. Cas had always considered himself a healthy eater, but even he's been struggling a bit with this "clean" eating diet. 

No coffee, no refined sugar, no alcohol, no red meat, no fish, no dairy. Cas has been drinking green protein shakes and eating so much chicken and brown rice he never wants to see poultry again. But it was supposed to help and it wouldn't be forever, so he could tough it out. 

He tosses kale, spinach, a couple of strawberries, half a banana, coconut water, and a bit of lemon juice in a blender before adding a scoop of pea protein powder to the mix. It looked like pond scum but it didn't taste half bad, once you got used to it. 

He pours the concoction into a travel mug with a straw so he can sip it while getting ready for work. Cas is pretty much set up to work remotely already, but he enjoys going into the office and working directly with his colleagues while he still can. 

He grabs his handful of vitamins and herbal supplements first and washes them down with his smoothie. On top of his body looking more fit, Cas has noticed that his scent has become so strong since starting the supplements that he has to wear blockers every time he leaves the house. 

Normally, a person's scent is more of a subtle undertone within a room unless you were in close proximity. If a person was feeling an emotion particularly strongly, then their scent might bloom brighter and broadcast further, but they could control that to a certain extent.

Cas' scent had become like a walking billboard letting everyone know he was an unclaimed Omega, ripening by the day as his heat got closer and closer. The books said to avoid scent blockers if at all possible, but with Castiel working in an office building with multiple unmated employees, him not wearing blockers would be an HR nightmare. To try and make up for his inability to simply cut blockers out, Cas had found an organic brand that was made specifically for pregnant or nursing Omegas. It wore off twice as fast but it gave him a little piece of mind during his time spent in the office.

After a quick shower, Cas dresses in his favorite blue suit, throws on his trenchcoat, and heads out the door. The office is bustling this time of year as they get ready for holiday closures, promising a busy day for the Omega.

Time flies as Castiel pours over file after file trying to finish those cases that needed processing before the end of the month. He eats lunch at his desk, a napkin tucked under his chin while his eyes remain glued to his computer screen. Normally he'd go out, but with his restricted diet it's just been easier to bring food from home. Today he'd made a wrap out of leftover grilled turkey. Not terribly exciting but easy enough to eat while he worked.

He's just clearing away the remains of lunch when Sam pops in looking like a kid in a candy store.

"Hey Cas, guess what?" The scent of happy Alpha fills the room, and Castiel smiles at his friend's excitement and sits back in his chair to give Sam his full attention.

"What?"

"Dean's coming here for Christmas. He hasn't been here since my graduation."

This was definitely a surprise. Dean was Sam's older brother who still lived back in South Dakota with their Uncle. Cas has heard all kinds of stories about the man but never actually met him. Sam was the one usually flying to see his family, not the other way around. The one time Dean had been in town, Cas had been too preoccupied with his own graduation and the subsequent family drama from having so many Novaks in one room and had missed the opportunity to meet the man.

Over the years though, Sam had spoken so often of his brother that Cas almost felt like he's known Dean as long as he's been friends with Sam. From what Cas has gathered, Dean had pretty much raised Sam while they grew up with an alcoholic father after their mother had died tragically in a house fire. They had eventually moved in with their uncle Bobby after their father also passed from liver failure. 

The way Sam tells it, Dean is a big softie on the inside but tries to keep up the appearance of being a very macho Alpha. He's never settled down and Sam says he probably never will. The perpetual happy bachelor enjoying his freedom and exploring his options. 

Cas has always believed that Dean must be something special to have raised Sam to be such a wonderful Alpha, and he was happy to finally be getting the chance to meet him.

"That's wonderful, Sam. What brought this on? I thought Dean was afraid of flying."

Sam huffs a laugh and drops down into the extra chair in front of Cas' desk.

"Yeah, well I guess Bobby is spending Christmas with his girlfriend Ellen. They've been dancing around each other for years and finally got together a few months back. They invited Dean of course but he wants to give them some space. I had to do a lot of convincing to get him on a plane but his doc will give him something to knock him out and he'll be fine."

A sudden thought occurs to Castiel that if Dean is coming for Christmas, then most likely he'll be here during Cas' heat which is due the week before. Would Sam need a break? It would certainly be disappointing after all the work Cas has put into getting his body ready, but this was a big moment for Sam, and Cas doesn't want to make things awkward for his friend.

"I look forward to finally meeting him." He tries to keep his face friendly and open so Sam can see that the next thing he says isn't meant to be an accusation. "Should we plan to skip my heat then?"

"Oh, I didn't think of that." Sam's eyebrows come down as he thinks for a moment. "No, no I don't think so. It's not the most convenient timing but I don't think we should skip any heats if we can avoid it. Plus, I know how much you've been working for this. I love salad as much as the next guy but even I wouldn't wish those god awful smoothies on anyone."

That gets a surprise laugh out of Cas, and he feels a little weight off his shoulders knowing Sam was willing to still try this heat.

"Does your brother know what you've been helping me with?" Cas had never explicitly told Sam what they were doing was a secret but it  _ was  _ heavily implied. Still, Cas wouldn't hold it against the Alpha. The way Sam talked, it was obvious that, despite the miles between them, he remained very close with his brother.

"Oh god, no. Dean is a great guy and I don't really have a lot of secrets from him, but he wouldn't understand. Dean's always been about putting family first, and he worked hard to keep us together before we went to live with Bobby. He'd just get too attached to the idea that it was  _ my  _ pup too. I figure it's best just to keep this between us."

Cas nods along as Sam talks. Once again, he's reminded of what an amazing friend Sam is. Castiel used to read stories of family members acting as surrogates for a sister or brother. Even mothers carrying pups for their children who couldn't for one reason or another. 

They had always fascinated Cas and while he was always moved by what a beautiful gift these Omegas were giving their families, he also knew deep down in his heart of hearts that if he was in the same situation, he wouldn't be able to do it. He couldn't carry a pup inside himself for 40 weeks of his life and not get overly attached. He names his plants, for God's sake. Cas knows what a gift it is that Sam is helping him, because he knows he couldn't do the same and one day, whether this works or not, he'll have to find a way to thank Sam.

"That's understandable, but how are you going to explain your absence during my heat?"

Sam gives him a sheepish smile and shrugs his shoulders, looking like the young man Cas had met so many years ago.

"I have no idea, but I'll think of something."

Cas trusts Sam to figure it out, so he simply nods in agreement. They chat for a while longer about holiday plans before Sam has to leave for a consultation with a potential new client, and Cas gets back to work. 

  
  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


**New Message From: PieEater67**

**_'I was thinking about your handle today and realized something funny.'_ **

**'What's that?'**

**_'Well the rules for the forum are that your handle has to be both letters and numbers but yours is all numbers while still technically having letters. You're like breaking the rules while still following the rules, like a really polite rebel.'_ **

**'I can honestly say I've never been called a rebel except maybe by my Mother.'**

**_'Lol well you're good at it.'_ **

**_'_ At what _?'_**

**_'Not not breaking the rules_ ** **😂'**

**'I'd say I'm just good at making things up as I go _.'_**

**_'Haha for sure! You'd have to be to think up the system you've got going on for your heats. Dude I wish you could see this place I'm at. It's probably one of the nastiest motels I've ever stayed at and that's saying a lot.'_ **

**_'_ Was there nowhere else available?'**

**_'I'm sure I could've found something but it's kinda tradition to stay at shitty motels on a roadtrip. Not really sure when I'll be doing another one so I want to do it right.'_ **

**_'_ Why don't you know when you'll be able to take another? _'_**

**_'Ah well work stuff mostly. Might be relocating soon if all goes well but I don't want to get too into details before I know for sure. But enough about that, how've you been? Anything exciting happening?'_ **

**'I'm doing well. Just working and getting ready for the holidays. My family always has a big get together but honestly I'd be happier to just stay at home this year.'**

**_'Family drama?'_ **

**'Yes and no. I just don't care for big social functions in general. I'm a bit awkward when it comes to small talk and it gets exhausting acting like I care about Alpha Smith's 5th mate and their vacation to Napa Valley _.'_**

**_'That's what you do for holidays? That sounds fucking terrible.'_ **

**'It is. To be fair though I don't think it would be much better if it was just an intimate family function either. We don't tend to see eye to eye on most issues. _'_**

**_'Ah, well you should just skip it then. I mean you're an adult, just say you can't make it and kick back at home like you were saying.'_ **

**'My Mother would throw a fit, which on its own would be worth the fall out, but I do enjoy seeing all my nieces and nephews. I don't often get them all in the same room. _'_**

**_'Aww well isn't that the sweetest thing. I don't have any nieces or nephews but I am the godfather for my friend's kid. She's got me wrapped around her little finger and knows it. I love every minute we get to hang so I can understand where you're coming from.'_ **

**'Not to go off topic but may I ask why brought on this roadtrip? It's not the best time of year for driving if I'm not mistaken. _'_**

**_'Ha well you're not wrong but my car can handle it. She's a tough old bird. As for why it has to do with that work stuff I mentioned. Been trying to decide on where I might like to settle once all my chips are down. Figured I could hit up a few old friends along the way while I was at it.'_ **

**'Oh that sounds lovely. I've never taken a roadtrip before but I think I'd enjoy it. I hope everything works out with your career. That sounds both exciting and a little terrifying _.'_**

**_'Yeah you hit the nail on the head with that one. I think I'm ready for something new though. I uh, I even stopped taking my suppressants. Figured it might be time to just be myself for a change.'_ **

**_'_ Oh Pie that's wonderful, I'm so proud of you ** **🥰.'**

**_'Thanks Seven_ ** **🙂** **_you're the one who inspired me to make a change. The way you've gone after what you want despite the obstacles has been pretty awesome.'_ **

**'Thank you Pie.'**

**_'You're welcome Seven. Alright well that's enough chick flick moments for me lol so I'm gonna hit the hay. Night!'_ **

**'Goodnight Pie. Sleep well _.'_**

  
  
  


Cas sighs as he logs off his computer and heads to his bathroom to start getting ready for bed. These late nights spent on the computer were becoming something of a habit. He's happy for his friend though. They had talked a few times about how Pie had gone on suppressants as a way to keep people at arm’s length so he wouldn't need to open up about his struggles with fertility.

Cas hopes nothing but the best for his friend. He deserves good things in his life. Clicking off the bathroom light Cas moves to his dresser to change into his sleep clothes before sliding between the cool sheets of his bed. Maybe they'd both get lucky before the year was up -- Cas with a successful heat, and Pie with a new career and a fresh start. It was a nice thought, and Cas found himself smiling as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay how are we feeling? Also is the format for the online chats easy to follow? 
> 
> Next chapter we finally get to see Dean!
> 
> Thanks for reading 🥰🥰🥰


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe out there everyone. 🖤

* * *

It's only a week into December when Cas gets a call from Sam. Dean's arrived early for his visit and Sam wants to know if Cas can meet them for dinner. The Alpha's excitement is contagious, and even though Cas had planned to spend a quiet evening at home, he finds himself agreeing easily.

He's a bit surprised by Sam's choice of eatery, a local 50's-themed diner; usually, the Alpha's taste runs a bit more exotic. However, the Omega can't say the promise of a thick juicy burger doesn't make him happy. Even though it's not part of his diet at the moment, Castiel already knows he's going to order one...with bacon...and extra cheese. It will be worth the stomachache, he's sure.

Wanting to make a good impression Cas spends a little extra time getting ready. He gives himself a clean shave, brushes his teeth, and applies a liberal amount of scent blockers before rooting through his closet for something decent to wear.

He finally settles on a dark pair of jeans that hug his thighs in a way he's still getting used to, a navy blue pullover that brings out the color of his eyes, and soft brown loafers. He tops it off with a couple of multicolored leather bracelets his nieces braided together and gifted him for his birthday. 

He wastes 20 minutes attempting to style his unruly hair before giving up and running his fingers through the dark brown locks for that just-rolled-out-of-bed look. With one last glance in the mirror, Cas deems himself presentable and grabbing his wallet, keys, and trenchcoat, he heads out the door to meet his Uber.

It's a short drive to the diner, and Cas is surprised again when he gets his first look at the old building with its themed exterior -- definitely not Sam's usual pick. Once he steps inside, the Omega's blue eyes widen as he takes in the black and white checkered floor, the copious amounts of chrome, and the booths designed to look like classic cars. The wait staff are all in costume and cruising by on rollerskates. Each table has its own individual miniature jukebox, and it smelled like heaven. The scent of grilled meat in the air makes Cas' mouth water, and he hopes the Winchesters are already here, because he is ready to order.

Glancing around the room, Cas catches sight of Sam in a booth, laughing at a man sitting across from him. Cas could only see the back of the other man's head, but he assumes it must be Dean. As he makes his way over, Sam looks up and waves. The Alpha quickly stands to give Cas a hug before turning to his brother to make introductions.

When Cas' eyes land on Dean for the first time, he feels a sudden sharp jolt in his guts, and he lets out a breath that sounds suspiciously like a gasp. Castiel had seen Dean before in the many pictures framed and hung on Sam's walls, but obviously those were older than he had realised because Castiel had been expecting a slender baby-faced, well,  _ twink _ , for lack of a better word. 

Now though, the Alpha that stands up to shake his hand has obviously  _ grown up _ . He's tall, not as tall as Sam, but taller than Cas by at least an inch. No longer petite and slender, his body looks fit from hard manual labor versus time spent in the gym, his broad shoulders and muscular arms barely contained by the olive green henley he's wearing. He has nice straight teeth with prominent Alpha canines made for biting that he flashes at Cas in a very charming smile, light scruff along his jawline, and freckles all across his face. Cas manages to snap out of his ogling enough to reach out and shake Dean's hand but ends up lost in the vivid green of the man's eyes which are framed with long delicate eyelashes. When the Alpha's tongue darts out to wet his lips, Cas finds himself staring at a perfect pair of cupid bow lips. God, the things Cas could imagine about that mouth alone.

A cough from his right startles Cas, and he realizes he's just standing there holding Dean's hand like an idiot. He flushes clear to the tips of his ears and ducks his head as he slides into the booth to hide his embarrassment.

Sam takes the spot next to him while Dean stays on the opposite side.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Dean. Sam talks about you all the time."

"Only good things, I hope." He throws Cas a wink, and the Omega blushes harder. "I've heard a lot about you too, Cas, but I have to say Sam never mentioned what a looker you are."

"Yes, well I could say the same about you." 

He's not really sure where that came from. Flirting certainly wasn't what you'd call Castiel's forte. He can't remember ever having such an instant and profound attraction to another living soul, but Dean was easily the most beautiful person he's ever laid eyes on. Cas curses the table between them because right now all he wants to do is bury his face in the crook of Dean's neck to see if he smells as good as he looks.

Dean huffs out a laugh and leans forward, opening his mouth to speak, but Sam cuts him off, his face scrunched into a scowl. "Knock it off, Dean."

"What?" Dean scoffs, finally tearing his intense gaze from Castiel to look at Sam. "What did I do?"

"You know exactly what you're doing, jerk. Cas is my best friend, and I don't want you messing with him."

Cas' eyes bounce back and forth between the brothers, not sure if he should interrupt or keep watching.

"Fine, jeez, I was just tryin' to be friendly."

Sam glares harder at his brother. "Uh huh, sure you were." 

Barely a breath later, Sam is turning to Cas, his face softening back into a friendly smile. "We got here a little early so I went ahead and ordered for you so we'd all get our food at the same time. I hope that was okay?"

"Oh," Cas feels a pang of disappointment. That probably means the bacon cheeseburger he'd been thinking about was off the menu. It wasn't Sam's fault, seeing how Cas hadn't mentioned going off his diet and he was just trying to be thoughtful. Maybe he could just order the burger to go and take it home with him. "Thank you, Sam."

His friend beams at him like a puppy who just found out he's a good boy, and it takes away some of Cas' disappointment and seals his decision to make a to-go order later.

Dean taps his fingers against the tabletop loudly, and both Cas and Sam turn to look at him.

"So are you guys... like a  _ thing _ ?" He wiggles a finger between the two of them on their side of the booth.

"Are you asking if I'm in a relationship with your brother?" 

Sam chokes while Cas squints at Dean across the table. The older Alpha laughs but nods his head.

"No, Dean. I told you Cas is my  _ friend _ , not my  _ boy _ friend." Sam's offended tone only seems to make Dean smile wider but before he gets a chance to respond, the waitress is rolling up to their table with a tray of food and drinks.

Sam has some kind of grilled sandwich with a side of coleslaw and house made potato chips. A large bowl of soup with a nice green salad is set in front of Cas, and with a longing gaze, the Omega watches as a double bacon cheeseburger with thick golden fries and a whole pickle on the side is placed before Dean.

Sam and Cas both get tall glasses of unsweetened ice tea while Dean has what looks like a large coke with his meal. Cas can feel the saliva pooling in his mouth as he eyes Dean's food. If he had planned to stick with his diet, what Sam ordered would have been perfect. But now it looked about as appetizing as one of his morning smoothies.

He must stare a little too long because, when he glances up Dean's looking at him with raised brows, Cas quickly adverts his eyes and tries to play it cool.

"Wait, this isn't right. I think there's been a mistake."

Cas looks up at Dean who's frowning at his burger.

"They mixed up our orders. I got the soup and salad. Do you mind switching?"

Cas perks up with a small smile. He knows Dean is lying through his teeth, but he's more than happy to play along. 

"Yes, of course, Dean. I wouldn't want to eat your soup."

They exchange their food as Sam looks on with wide eyes and a slack mouth. At first, Cas thinks it's because of him, but it's Dean that Sam is staring at incredulously. Sam starts to make a noise of protest, but Dean shoots him a hard look.

"It's ok, Sammy, mistakes happen. I'm sure Cas here is much happier eating the burger you ordered him."

The Omega is already taking a large bite out of the thick burger to head off Sam's protests and moans happily around his mouthful of beef.

"Hhmm, yes very happy, thank you," he sighs.

A strange sound comes from across the table, and Cas opens his eyes that had slipped shut to savor the flavors bursting across his tongue. Dean's staring down at his food with red cheeks. Cas smiles to himself. This Alpha is adorable.

Sam looks back and forth between the two of them before shaking his head. "Okay...well, why don't you tell us about your trip, Dean? How was the flight?"

"I wouldn't know ‘cause I wasn't on it," Dean says as he starts in on his soup. He gets a couple of large spoonfuls into his mouth before continuing. "Decided to drive. That's why I got in early, ‘cause I started out days ago."

"Guess I should have seen that coming."

Dean talks about his trip while they all work on their food. Cas thinks about his new friend and wonders if this is a common time of year for road trips. Dean is outgoing, like a bright star drawing the attention of all those around him. Cas finds himself laughing along to the ridiculous stories of his travels or about the prank wars the brothers got up to as pups. Not once does he feel the usual awkwardness that normally comes when meeting new people. 

Cas manages to pack away all of his fries and most of his burger before he has to call it quits. The pickle on the side of his plate still sits untouched despite the Omega's love for them. He notices Dean has eaten his bowl of soup but only picked at his salad, eating all of the accoutrements but leaving the majority of the lettuce on the plate. The Alpha had been so kind to switch meals with Cas and he knows it was no mistake that the soup originally came to him. Maybe Dean would like his pickle?

Dean's got his eye on the dessert menu as Sam talks about all the places he wants to take Dean while he's in town. Not wanting to interrupt, Cas reaches across the table to tap the Alpha's wrist. It feels like a jolt of electricity when he touches the soft skin of Dean's inner wrist, and it catches the man's attention immediately. Cas swallows back the weird tightness in his throat but as he stares into the eyes across from him, he forgets  _ why  _ he reached out to begin with. The Alpha's green eyes bare down on him intensely, and Cas can feel his body start to react, a small amount of slick gathering at his entrance. It's not until he feels the movement of Dean's wrist tensing under his touch that Cas realizes he's still got his hand on the other man. 

He wrenches his arm back like he's been burned and feels his stomach drop in embarrassment. Dean slowly pulls his arm back until it drops off the table into his lap.

"Did you need something, Cas?" 

He doesn't sound upset or angry, but his voice is thick and deeper than moments ago. Cas swallows a couple of times before nodding down to his plate.

"I was just going to see if you'd like to eat my pickle."

Dean's eyes light up, and Sam snorts next to him.

"Hhmm, do I want your pickle? Do I want to put your pickle in my mouth?"

Cas can tell Dean is teasing, but he squints his eyes at the other man as he tries to figure out what he's missing. Sam is trying to muffle quiet laughter next to him, so he doesn't think Dean is being malicious. Sam wouldn't let that happen.

Dean chuckles when he realizes whatever joke he's making is going over his head.

"Sadly, I'll have to decline. I don't eat pickles."

"Have you tried them before?"

"Nope. I don't need to taste them to know I won't like them. I can smell them just fine and they smell like easter eggs and sunburns." Dean grimaces, and Sam really starts laughing now.

"Yeah yuk it up, Sammy."

"Sunburns?" Castiel asks with confusion.

Sam is cackling as he turns to Cas to explain that their Uncle Bobby was a suspicious old coot who didn't care for medical professionals and always had some old witch doctor's cure for every bump and bruise the boys had growing up. Dean, with his fair skin prone to burning, had spent many a summer day sitting in the shade with vinegar soaked paper towels draped over his sunburns. Even now as an adult, Dean couldn't stand even the scent of vinegar.

Dean's scowling at his brother through the whole story, but Cas can see the way his lips twitch at the corners trying to hold back a smile. This leads into an elaborate story of how once Sam jumped off the roof dressed as Batman and broke his arm. Dean had pedaled Sam to the hospital on the handlebars of his bike after he panicked and thought Bobby would try to set the arm himself. The old man had felt so guilty that the boys were afraid to come to him that he'd let them eat ice cream for dinner three nights in a row.

"My arm still aches whenever it rains," Sam wheezes out between laughter.

"Well, it's your own fault. Everyone knows Batman can't fly."

"And you call me a nerd."

It's amazing to Cas to see the bond between the brothers. The friendly bickering, the obvious pride on Dean's face when Sam talks about his work, and the love that shines from them is so far from Castiel's own experience with his siblings that he can't help but get sucked into their orbit, happy to watch their interactions and laugh along with them. Even though it would have been easy for Castiel to feel awkward and like a third wheel, both Sam and Dean go out of their way to make him feel included. It's the most fun Cas has had in years, so it's no surprise the time flies by and before he knows it, the diner is starting to close, and they're the only table left. 

Dean manages to talk the waitress into boxing up some pie to go while Sam takes care of the bill, and they shuffle out the door feeling full of good food and good company.

They make plans to meet up again before Dean leaves town as they wait at the curb for Castiel's Uber. The night air has a sharp chill to it, and they huddle close, cheeks and noses red from the breeze. Dean starts waxing poetic about how good his lemon meringue pie is going to taste since just the smell is driving him nuts. Cas is confused for a moment because, while Dean had been effectively flirting his way into baked goods, Cas had clearly seen the waitress box up apple pie. Then it hits Cas like a punch to the gut: Dean is smelling  _ him.  _ It's been hours since he applied his blockers; they must have faded more than Cas realized. 

Sam had once described Cas' scent like a lemonade on a summer's day, but most Alphas that got close enough to scent him described it as sour or bitter lemon, not sweet like a typical Omega and not appealing to most Alphas. With his heat so close, it makes sense that Dean would find his scent alluring and closer to a pie than the tart fruit. Cas had to be more careful if his scent was strong enough to entice an Alpha on suppressants; he must be closer than he thought to his heat. The last thing he wanted was some knothead getting a whiff of him and causing trouble. It's a good thing Cas was heading home, but he does wonder what Dean will think when he gets home and discovers the apple pie in his bag.

When it's time to say goodbye, Sam squeezes Cas in a tight hug, pulling back to pat the side of his arm with a found smile. Cas is expecting another hand shake when he turns to Dean, but he's pleasantly surprised when the Alpha opens his arms for a hug as well. There is no hesitation on Cas' part, he just falls right into the other man and lets himself be engulfed by the thick arms he'd been admiring earlier. 

This was also the chance he'd been hoping for to catch a whiff of Dean's scent. It seemed fair, considering the Alpha kind of already did the same to Cas. Well, that might be a bit of a stretch, but Cas is willing to take what he can get.

Taking in a deep breath through his nose, Cas is immediately hit with the acrid scent of chemical suppressants. It's so sharp it makes him sneeze and pull back slightly. Dean lets him go, giving him an apologetic look and a small shrug. Obviously, Cas wasn't being as subtle as he thought with his scenting, and Dean knows exactly what made the Omega sneeze. 

Luckily, Cas' Uber shows up just in time to spare him the embarrassment of being caught, and he quickly bids the brothers goodbye.

Five minutes later as he watches the city fly by outside the car window, Cas realizes the pickle joke was about his dick, and he spends the rest of the car ride with his head in his hands and his cheeks flaming red.

By the time he gets home, he's exhausted, but despite the long day and the late meal, Cas spends a long time that night staring up at his ceiling and thinking of green eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!   
> So sorry about last week! With everything going on in the world my brain needed a break. I appreciate every single one of you for reading ❤.
> 
> As always a big thank you to Beatrix_Kiddo for editing!

* * *

**To Seven89:** _Have you ever heard of suppressants altering your sense of smell? Idk if it's because I used them for so long or what but coming off these has really been a trip._

**To PieEater67:**

I have no clue. I'm not very experienced with suppressants. Have you talked to a doctor?

**To Seven89:**

_ Nah I don't like doctors. You wouldn't catch me in a clinic unless I was dying or picking up free condoms lol. _

**To PieEater67:**

Hhm well I'm not going to pretend I don't think that's unhealthy, unless of course you have a genuine phobia of the doctors, but that must have been hard to deal with when you were doing fertility tests.

**To Seven89:**

_ I don't really remember a lot of that because I was so young. _

**To PieEater67:**

I thought you said you and your ex-partner had tried for pups. You never went to a doctor?

**To Seven89:**

_ I know it sounds weird but I've known since I was a teenager that I couldn't have pups. My dad still had all the paperwork. I didn't really see a need to go back to hear the same thing all over again. I think after 3 years with no pups and then she gets knocked up two months after finding a new Alpha pretty much speaks for itself. _

**To PieEater67:**

Hhmm well I guess my feelings for doctors are not much different than yours. I've just coped by needing a second opinion for everything verses not going to the doctors at all. 

**To Seven89:**

_ That's probably a lot healthier lol. Btw how are you doing? It's got to be getting close to your heat right? Are you going to try again this cycle? _

**To PieEater67:**

I'm doing well. We  _ are _ trying this cycle and I have a very good feeling about it. My hormone levels have never been this good and I think the increase of daily insemination should be very successful. If not I'm not sure what could help.

**To Seven89:**

_ Well keep your chin up Seven. I've got a good feeling you're in for some good news. _

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


Cas groans at the sound of his phone buzzing against the wood of his night stand. He wasn't ready to get up out of the nice cozy nest his bed had become over the last week. He was supposed to be working remotely today and had planned on sleeping in for a change.

The phone stops its vibrating, but before Cas can fall back asleep, it picks up again. That catches the Omega's attention and worried there might be an emergency, he quickly picks up his cell before the call ends. It's Sam's name flashing across the screen causing Cas' gut to clench with fear as he swipes to answer the call.

"Sam? Is everything okay?"

"Cas! You're never going to believe it. I got the Copeland-Smith case." 

It takes Cas a few moments to shift from worried to excited. The Copeland-Smith case was one of the most high profile divorce cases of the decade. Tiffany Copeland, a self-made Omega millionaire, had made headlines when she fell for and married the much younger Alpha actor Robert Smith. They had a whirlwind and highly publicized courtship that lasted only a few months before they had mated and announced Tiffany's first pregnancy. Three years and 2 pups later, after countless rumors of affairs and nasty fights, they were headed towards a very messy divorce. The main issue being Robert had nothing when he married Tiffany and never worked, but against the advice of her financial advisers, Tiffany had refused a prenup and Robert was squeezing her for millions and holding custody of their children as blackmail. Every attorney in town had been salivating at the prospect of landing this case. This would be a huge deal for Sam's career, and it was understandable that the Alpha was excited.

"That's wonderful Sam, I'm so happy for you. Which party will you be representing?"

"Mrs. Copeland. I wasn't interested in helping that slimeball Smith. But listen Cas, I'm basically starting this case from the ground up, and I'm already behind. I know this might seem weird but I promised Dean I'd go to the movies with him today, and I already bought the tickets. Would you mind keeping him company for the day?"

Butterflies burst to life in Castiel's gut at the mere mention of Sam's brother. Even though Dean felt like a bit of a wildcard in his carefully laid out plans, Cas would always say yes to helping his friend. And he had to admit there was a part of him that wanted to see what Dean would be like when it was just the two of them without Sam as a buffer.

"Of course Sam, I'd be happy to help."

"Perfect, thank you, and look Cas, Dean is a great guy really, but he can be a shameless flirt. Don't hold it against him, and if he bothers you at all, just call me and I'll set him straight."

Cas hesitates for just a moment. He can't deny that he'd been attracted to the older Winchester and he was fairly certain the sentiment had been returned, but how much of that was just his amped-up hormones? Sam had mentioned on several occasions that Dean wasn't the settling down type. It was probably best for Cas to keep himself in check and wear extra blockers. Dean was only going to be here for a short time, after all.

"I'm sure I can handle myself Sam, but thank you. Where and when should I meet Dean for the movies?"

They spend a few minutes working out details around Sam excitedly chattering about his new case before Cas can finally hang up and slump back into the soft bedding surrounding him. He's got a few hours at least before he has to get ready, so he makes the executive decision to skip both his run and his workout for a lay in. He could run this evening instead.

  
  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  


It's only ten minutes before the show is about to start when Cas finally makes it to the theater. He's not sure where exactly he's supposed to meet Dean, but he doesn't have to worry because just inside the door, he finds the Alpha leaning against the wall and staring down at his phone. He's just as handsome as last night, and Cas has to remind himself he's only there to help Sam out and be a good friend. Dean is staring so intently at his phone, he doesn't notice Cas until the blue-eyed man reaches out to tap him on the shoulder.

Dean startles and whips his head up.

"Cas? What are you doing here man? I didn't know you were coming, I would've worn my nice pants." Dean flashes him a cocky smile, and the comment has Cas' eyes dropping down to look at the Alpha's pants on reflex. Dean was wearing tight blue jeans with little frayed rips around the knees. He fills them out in  _ all _ the right ways, from the slight bow to his legs to the impressive bulge behind his zipper, to the soft swell of his backside, and Cas stares a little too long before Dean huffs out a laugh making the Omega blush and finally look back up. Dean's eyes are dancing with laughter, and Cas finds he likes the sight just as much.

Cas clears his throat, trying to will away the slight blush he can feel burning his cheeks.

"Sam didn't talk to you? He's been detained at work and asked if I'd like to take his place with you today."

"Oh," disappointment flashes across Dean's face for just a moment before his smile comes back tenfold. "Well, at least he sent a pretty replacement."

"I do aim to please," Cas says dryly, which surprises a laugh out of Dean. The Alpha is still smiling as he sweeps his arm out in an "after you" gesture, and they head for the concession stand.

"Hope you like superheroes, or this is about to be really awkward."

"I think we've already crossed that bridge," Cas says with a small smile to take the sting out of his words. "I can't say superheroes would be my first choice, but I enjoy the movie-going experience in general, so I'm not worried about it."

"Huh, let me guess... you like indie dramas where the protagonist travels across the country finding himself, with a soundtrack of acoustic guitars and wide-angle shots?"

Cas raises his eyebrows at Dean as they make their way through the short line.

"That is weirdly specific, Dean."

The Alpha just shrugs, the side of his mouth pulled up in a lopsided grin. 

"It's the plot to every movie Sammy drooled over when we were kids."

That gets a chuckle from Cas, because it was still Sam's favorite kind of movie. He sat through more coming-of-age stories in his freshman year of college as Sam's roommate than a Sundance festival judge in a lifetime. He smiles at Dean as they near the counter, the smell of popcorn heavy in the air.

"Hmm, okay well, if you're not into the indie films or the superheroes, what do you like to watch?"

"Dark comedies."

"No shit? Like what?"

"Harold and Maude is my favorite movie of all time, as an example."

"Wait, is that the one with the young Alpha who falls for the 80-year-old Omega?"

Cas smiles at the way Dean's nose wrinkles; that's usually the reaction he gets when he talks about his favorite movie.

"Yes it is. Have you watched it?"

Dean shakes his head no just as they make it to the front of the line. They take a moment to order their snacks, Dean makes a little excited noise when Cas orders a pack of black licorice and gets one for himself as well, plus a tub of popcorn to share and two sodas. This is his second time breaking his diet in as many days, but he figures it won't hurt since he's already so close to his heat. And besides, he doesn't want to explain why he's dieting to Dean. He'll just be extra good the next couple of days.

Moments later, they're settled in the dark theater. The seats are so close together that Cas can feel heat where Dean's leg lines up next to his from hip to ankle. The room isn't very full; according to Dean, this movie's already been out for a few weeks, so Cas feels a bit annoyed when a small group of men sit directly behind them. He tries to focus on the presence of Dean next to him and the Marvel logo playing across the screen. It works and after only a few moments, he relaxes into his seat. The group behind them is quiet as the movie starts, and Cas relaxes even further when the very faint scent of content Alpha reaches him. It must be coming from one of the men behind them, and while normally the scent of an unfamiliar Alpha would grate on Castiel's nerves, this particular scent has him sighing softly. It's cool and woodsy, eucalyptus maybe, if Cas was going to make a guess. 

He gets lost in the movie despite it being part of a series he hadn't previously watched, but Dean's excitement is contagious, and Cas enjoys his time with the Alpha. 

When the movie lets out, it's still early and Dean is buzzing with energy as he enthusiastically fills Castiel in on the backstory of a dozen different characters. It's a beautiful day and at Cas' suggestion, they end up walking around town as they chat. Cas finds himself drawn to Dean's bright smile and easy going personality. Not for the first time, Castiel wishes he could scent the Alpha.

Dean tells Cas about his life back in Sioux Falls, about working for his Uncle Bobby from the time he was 16 fixing up cars and how he'd slowly made the transition to classic car restoration. Cas would be the first to admit he's rather clueless when it comes to mechanics, but it's not hard to picture what Dean would look like in grease-stained denim bent over the engine of a car. Cas is so lost in his little fantasy, it takes him a moment to realize Dean's stopped talking. 

The Alpha's attention has been caught by a large blue sign advertising a shark exhibit at the aquarium down the block. Dean turns to Cas quickly, obviously excited about what he just read. Sharks always seem to catch the attention of Alphas, but Dean surprises him yet again.

"Dude, do you think they'd have seahorses there?"

"Seahorses? Probably, would you like to go see?"

Dean doesn't bother answering, just reaches out to thread their arms together and steer them towards the aquarium. It's been years since Cas has stepped foot in a touristy place like this, and he can't help bulking slightly at the almost $30 entrance fee, but Dean slaps down his credit card before the Omega can complain and sweeps him into the building.

The lights are dim inside, and the air is cool. Despite several pups walking around with their parents, it's also very quiet. On all sides, the walls are made of thick acrylic panels keeping thousands of gallons of saltwater at bay. Cas feels a moment of panic thinking of what might happen if the aquariums broke, but he pushes down the irrational fear and follows Dean to a display of pamphlets and maps of the exhibits.

While it's obvious Dean is leading them directly to the seahorse exhibit, he takes his time and they stop along the way to gaze at the colorful sea life. Cas finds himself fascinated with the jellyfish. The way they floated around their tank was hypnotic, and he could understand how some people get so into keeping aquariums at home. He can't remember the last time he felt so at ease. It doesn't hurt that Dean sticks to his side like glue. They get more than one knowing look from the other patrons as Dean gently guides him with his big hand on the small of Cas' back. It's like a hot brand that makes warmth bloom out from every point of contact. Whenever they stop to look at a new exhibit, Dean leans in, his deep voice rumbling in Cas' ear, making him shiver as the Alpha reads off the names of the different fish floating in front of them. It's strangely intimate, and even though Cas knows nothing can come of it, he still leans into the Alpha's heat every time he steps in close to speak.

While in front of a tank full of lionfish, Cas glances up and catches sight of a small family at the tidepool display. A young woman is smiling as her mate helps their squealing pup reach into the water and touch a sea cucumber. The Omega's heart skips a beat, and suddenly the fantasy that had been quietly playing on a loop in the back of his mind, the one featuring a grease-stained Dean working on cars, shifts so abruptly it takes his breath away. Instead of a dirty sweaty Alpha with rippling muscles, Cas sees Dean with his soft smile and bright eyes as he cradles a pup in his arms and sings softly in the same low voice he's been whispering in Cas' ear. He pictures the Alpha rocking the small bundle from side to side while another little one pokes vivid green eyes from behind the Alpha's bowed legs.

The pure unadulterated longing that rips through him has Cas weak kneed and rooted to the spot. He has to take a moment to compose himself before Dean notices, but Cas knows the image will follow him for days to come. It's startling in the sense that while Cas has often fantasized about the idea of a mate and pups, he's never had such a clear image of a real person taking on the role of his Alpha before.

Dean doesn't seem to notice Cas' small internal crisis, but he does notice Castiel staring in the direction of the tidepools and happily leads them over so they can touch the odd little creatures inside. By the time Cas has pet a starfish, a sea cucumber, and three different anemones, he's feeling more settled and ready to move on.

The seahorses are next, and Dean's excitement is palpable. Castiel can't ever remember having any particular fondness for the creatures, but watching the way they moved around the special tank reserved just for them, he has to admit they are rather interesting. He leans in close to Dean, his nose pulling in a deep breath despite knowing the Alpha is on suppressants. The same cool eucalyptus scent from the theater hits the Omega's nose, causing his eyebrows to pull down in confusion. 

The scent is even fainter than it had been at the movies, but it's brighter, more joyful than content. Cas looks at Dean's smiling profile. Could he be scenting Dean? That couldn't be right, though. The chemical scent of suppressants was still heavy and wafting off Dean when Cas got close enough to scent him, so where was this other smell coming from? Was it possible the same group of men from the theater had also come to the aquarium?

Cas looks around them quickly, but for the most part they're alone in this part of the exhibit. Was he imagining it? Was it possible his hormones were so primed for mating, he was inventing reasons to see Dean as a potential partner? God, Cas couldn't wait to be done with this cycle.

"They're really delicate even though they look strong." Dean's voice is soft when he speaks, eyes still following the graceful movements of the seahorses in front of him, and it stops Cas' current train of thought.

"What was that?"

"They look like they're wearing armor. Like they're really tough but they're actually pretty delicate. I had an ex who was really into salt water aquariums and she tried to keep seahorses a couple of times. They never survived though."

"That sounds terrible."

"Yeah, it was. She wanted to keep trying until she got it right, but I couldn't do it anymore." Dean seems lost in thought, and Cas gets the feeling there is more to what Dean is saying than what's on the surface. The Omega waits patiently by the Alpha's side as Dean works through his moment. Suddenly, he turns to Cas with a big grin.

"You know they're one of the only other species on the planet that has male pregnancy? Did you know that?"

Cas gives him a gentle smile and nods his head. As a child in school, the science teacher had made a point of comparing all the young male Omegas to seahorses. Natural "anomalies," he'd called them.

"It's pretty badass, if you ask me." Dean is back to his playful self and seems to have shaken off whatever melancholy had briefly overcome him. They finish their walk around, and Dean steps into the gift shop for a moment while Cas uses the restroom, and it becomes apparent why when he presents Cas with a small plush seahorse as they walk back to Dean's car parked at the theater.

It's near dark now, and Dean offers him a ride home since Cas had used an Uber to meet him earlier. The ride to Cas' apartment building is comfortably quiet with just the radio playing softly in the background and the occasional direction from Cas. The stuffed seahorse sits cradled in the Omega's lap, and he pets it absently as he takes in the calming scent of Dean's car. It's warm leather, a little musky from sitting in the afternoon sun, and undeniably homey. Cas can easily understand why Dean would prefer driving over flying in this car.

By the time Dean pulls into the parking garage for Cas' building, the Omega's eyelids are heavy with drowsiness.

"Thank you Dean for letting me accompany you today. I had a wonderful time." Cas is smiling as he reaches across the front seat to give the Alpha a hug. 

"Anytime, Cas. Hey, if Sam is busy again tomorrow, would you like to hang out again? Hell, even if he isn't busy, I wouldn't mind doing something, all three of us."

"I'd like that. Just give me a call when you settle on plans." With that, Cas slides out of the car, smiling and waving until Dean is out of sight and he can trudge up to his apartment.

Stepping into his dark home, Cas is immediately struck by how quiet and still the place seems now that he was alone. He realizes he already misses Dean's presence, his laughter, and joy. Cas hardly knows the guy but he wants to, god does he want to. Castiel might not know why he was so drawn to the Alpha, but the one thing he does know is that this can only spell trouble for his future plans.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Tuesday y'all! 
> 
> A big thank you to Beatrix_Kiddo for editing and another big thank you for reading!
> 
> A couple quick notes:
> 
> 1\. We are coming to the end of this story and it will be wrapping up at 10 chapters!
> 
> 2\. Tags have been updated to reflect the remaining chapters. 
> 
> Happy reading!

* * *

The next few days fly by. Sam is swamped with work leaving Cas and Dean to their own devices most of the time. The Alpha does a good job of hiding it, but Cas can tell it's bothering Dean that Sam keeps breaking their plans. Castiel does his best to cheer Dean up, but as soon as he gets a chance he corners Sam to chew him out.

"I know Cas, I  _ know.  _ And I feel like shit about it, but if I don't get this leg work done now, I won't be able to take off the days I need for your heat."

That brings Cas up short. Not once had Sam said anything about having to work overtime to keep his heat leave. The self-sacrificing son of a bitch had probably been trying to keep Cas from stressing over it, but he doesn't care for Sam running himself ragged either.

"Sam, if this is going to be too much of an inconvenience, we can always try next time."

Sam's face sets into hard lines of determination.

"No, Cas. I said I'd be there for this heat, and I plan to keep my word. You've done so much and I know it hasn't been easy for you. I can do this, trust me. I'm just going to be very busy this week."

They stand there staring each other down, neither one wanting to be the first to break. Finally, Cas lets out a sigh and relents. If Sam says he can handle it, then it's his job to trust that his friend knows what he's doing. The least Cas can do is keep Dean company so Sam doesn't have to worry about his brother.

As far as the Omega was concerned, he got the better end of the bargain. It's definitely not a hardship to spend time with the older Winchester, so Castiel certainly doesn't complain.

After their movie "date," Dean talked Cas into hanging out at Sam's place to marathon the previous films of the series they had watched. The Omega would definitely describe himself as more of a bookworm than a movie buff any day, but sitting squished next to Dean on the sofa while the Alpha excitedly explains every plot nuance and fan theory for the numerous characters has Castiel captivated. Dean's strong hands dance through the air as he talks, and smiles, and laughs at Cas' innocent questions, like is that one character with the weird arm in love with that Captain guy. That one has Dean cackling so hard, he nearly chokes on the pizza they're sharing.

Cas also takes Dean to a huge Christmas light display. It's so big and elaborate, it takes nearly an hour to walk through and even though Cas goes every year, he never gets tired of it. Dean walks through the whole display with wide eyes, and the Omega finds himself watching the Alpha's face almost as often as he's looking at the lights.

Every day that Castiel gets closer to his heat, he finds himself more and more conflicted. On one hand, he knows logically that even though he's very,  _ very  _ attracted to Dean, nothing can come of it. Even if his feelings were returned, Cas is still facing a very real deadline on his fertility. That was a lot of pressure to put on an Alpha who, for all intents and purposes, was a self-proclaimed bachelor. It was hard though for Cas to shake the image of Dean holding those pups, to shake the longing the image stirs inside him.

Now, staring into his bathroom mirror as he finishes getting ready for his brother's holiday party, he takes a moment to steel his resolve. This will probably be his last outing before his heat hits. Even now, he can feel a slight flush under his skin. He was really beginning to regret not making an excuse and bowing out of this charade of a party, but if he tried to back out now, his Mother would be all over him. Maybe if he had a date to bring along, the night wouldn't feel so unbearable. At least Sam was supposed to make an appearance. Being a partner at the firm meant that even if they weren't best friends, Sam would still have received an invitation to the annual Novak affair.

Cas checks his reflection one last time. He's wearing a tailored black on black tux that hugs him just right to show off all the hard work he's been doing. It's accented with a cobalt blue pocket square and a thick silver wrist watch. Since he's wearing blockers, and plans to reapply throughout the night, he spritzes a light Omega cologne to help with any heat scent that might be starting to form.

Deeming himself presentable, Cas grabs the bottle of wine he'd purchased as a hostess gift and the small bag of presents for his nieces and nephews before heading down to the car waiting for him. Usually, Castiel prefers to use an Uber or the bus, but whenever he has to attend a family function, he calls a luxury car service. After all, the Novaks were all about image, or so his Mother has been telling him for years.

The drive is long, which unfortunately leaves Cas alone to stew in his thoughts. By the time the car pulls up to Michael's house, Cas is still feeling torn about his feelings for Dean, but he tamps it down before taking a deep breath and climbing out of the car. Knowing he'll be enduring both his Mother and brothers tonight means Cas needs to stay focused. If he does this right, he can be on his way home in just a few hours. As long as he's schmoozed the right people, Naomi usually doesn't care how long Castiel stays at the party. After all, Mike and Luke were the star Alpha sons.

Stepping through the front entrance, Cas is met by a young man who is taking coats. Michael doesn't actually keep a staff at his home beyond a regular housekeeper and a nanny, but he always goes all out for the holiday party. Cas hands over the beige trenchcoat he wears solely to piss off his Mother and gets a ticket in exchange for when he's ready to pick it back up.

Walking into the front parlor, Cas is met by soft piano music and the quiet murmur of voices as guests pair off into groups to chat. Several waitstaff walk amongst the guests with trays of drinks and finger foods. In the formal dining room, there is a massive table where they'll gather when it's time to eat the main course, but Cas veers off to the left where the playroom is. The children are usually allowed to attend the party long enough to look cute before they are sent off to the playroom to eat their own dinner, since the adults have at least another couple hours before they sit to eat, and play out of sight and ear shot.

It's a terrible tradition as far as Castiel is concerned. Before he even makes it to the playroom, he can hear squeals of laughter and loud chatter that have the first real smile of the night spreading across his face. When he walks in, the room is pure chaos. Michael's four boys are playing a game where they aren't allowed to touch the ground, while Luke's youngest girl Meg chases them around. Ruth, Luke's oldest at 13, sits quietly reading in the corner next to the two nannies overseeing the chaos. Tessa and Alfie, who have been caring for the Novak children since birth, are both very sweet down-to-earth Betas. Castiel has always gotten along with them and always tries to take some time at these parties to say hello.

He's almost to the two Betas when Mathew, Michael's oldest, spots him from across the room and calls out a hello. Cas is immediately swarmed as the pups vie for his attention. Laughing and trying not to trip, Cas manages to sit down with his bag of gifts and quiet the pups down. David, Luke's youngest and only son, toddles over to settle into his Uncle's lap, and Cas melts a little as the boy snuggles into him. Tessa and Alfie help him pass out his packages, and he watches with a smile as his nieces and nephews tear open their gifts.

With careful fingers, Cas helps little David open his new set of stacking blocks much to the pup’s delight. Moments later, the pup toddles away after his cousin Elijah, leaving Cas' arms empty and his gut clenching. Fucking hormones have Cas nearly on the verge of tears just kissing the children goodnight while he steadfastly avoids the sympathetic looks from the two Betas.

When Cas joins the main guests, he spots Sam immediately. The Alpha is easy to pick out in a crowd considering he stands a good few inches above everyone else. Even though he'll need to mingle at some point, Cas makes his way towards his friend. He could use a familiar face right now. Just as Cas is getting close, the few guests between him and Sam part, giving Cas a perfect view of his friend, or more importantly, the man standing next to him.

Cas freezes, his breath caught in his throat, as he takes in the sight of Dean decked out in a classic tux standing tall and handsome next to his brother eating a small lemon tart and sipping from a champagne glass. The green-eyed Alpha always looks attractive to Cas, but there is something breathtaking about the sight of the Alpha all dressed up. Cas is still standing there gobsmacked when Sam notices him and, smiling, drags Dean in his direction. Dean manages to get his glass down on a passing tray before glancing over and seeing Cas.

They lock eyes, green with blue, and Cas' knees go weak.  _ Definitely should have skipped this party,  _ Castiel thinks to himself as he feels his backside go damp with slick. Dean's nose twitches slightly, making Cas very glad he wore cologne with his blockers. He's much too close to his heat to be around an Alpha that has such a profound effect on him. He should have known Sam would bring Dean along. Cas is vaguely aware of Sam standing beside them awkwardly as he continues to stare into Dean's eyes, but it's not enough to distract him from the pull of the Alpha in front of him.

Finally, Dean breaks the moment with a soft smile and a quiet, "Hey, Cas" that prompts a deep raspy, "Hello, Dean" from the Omega. Sam clears his throat, and Cas comes back to himself. Without noticing he'd moved closer to Dean until they were practically sharing the same breath and with red cheeks, he steps back to a more respectable distance.

"And hello Sam, yes it may shock you but I  _ am  _ here as well." Sam's tone is teasing, but it still makes Cas feel bad for ignoring his friend. But when he looks up to apologize, he spots his Mother gliding over in her purple ball gown, no doubt having just witnessed Castiel's little faux pas.

There's no time to warn the others before the Novak matriarch descends on them with a tight smile and sharp eyes.

"Good evening, Samuel. Castiel, I should have known I'd find you with the Winchester Alpha, but who might this be?" She turns her cold eyes to Dean, and Cas sees the Alpha visibly shudder under her gaze as Sam introduces his brother.

"Another Winchester? My, Castiel, you do have a type, don't you? Can we expect this one to become as close of a  _ friend _ as Samuel here?"

Castiel feels mortified but not surprised his Mother would insinuate there was more between him and Sam than meets the eye. Naomi firmly believed Alphas only had Omega friends if they planned to mate them or fuck them, and she has no qualms about letting others know her stance. While Sam and Cas have become used to the rumors and whispers about them over the years, it's all new to Dean, and he looks positively livid.

Cas shoots wide eyes at Sam, and the Alpha quickly steps in to distract Naomi with updates on the Copeland-Smith case. With his Mother's attention diverted, Castiel grabs Dean by the hand and quickly leads him through the crowded room and down a hallway until he finds an unoccupied guest room to hide out in.

Dean just follows along still looking like he's ready to spit nails. By the time Cas is shutting the bedroom door, Dean's ready to explode.

"That's your mom? Jesus Christ man, I'm sorry, but she's a  _ bitch. _ "

Cas leans his forehead against the cool wood of the door and takes a moment to breathe before turning to face Dean. The anxiety of dodging his Mother has him sweating, and it was only a matter of time before his scent would bleed through his blockers.

"She's my Mother, not my mom, and I agree."

Dean looks confused, and suddenly Cas feels exhausted. He's been on an emotional roller coaster for days with his hormones, and at this point he just wants to go home to his nest. Moving over to the bed, Cas sinks down on the edge and drops his head into his hands. Dean stays standing by the door.

"Naomi is my Alpha sire, my Mother, but she's not my mom. My mom, my Om, was the gentlest, kindest, and most caring person I've ever known. She died a few years ago, and I miss her every day."

There's the sound of shuffling feet before Dean's shoes come into view where Cas is staring at the floor. A warm hand cups his face gently, tilting his chin up until he's staring in green eyes once again.

"I'm sorry, Cas. I'm sure your Om must have been someone special to have raised such an amazing son. I'm sure she'd be proud of you." 

A dry sob escapes Cas’ lips before Dean pulls him gently to his feet and surrounds him with his arms.

"Is this okay, Cas?" Dean says it whisper soft, and all Cas can do is nod against the Alpha's shoulder. He breathes in deep trying to settle his nerves, the tension slowly bleeding out of him. The calming scent of eucalyptus starts to register as he stays there wrapped in Dean's arms, and Cas trails his nose along Dean's neck mindlessly in search of its source. 

"Cas?"

The Omega moans low in the back of his throat, his skin is flushed pink, his eyes glazed over when Dean pulls back to look into them. Their lips are so close, Cas can feel the hot puffs of the Alpha's breath against his face, it smells faintly of champagne and lemon tarts. Dean's eyes dilate and he lets out a quiet "fuck" before their lips crash together.

Cas' heat bursts to life under his skin, he feels like he's burning alive as his gut rolls in tight painful cramps. He hasn't had a heat come on this fast since puberty. Dean's lips are soft and plush and slick as the Alpha's tongue drags along the seam of Cas' mouth seeking entrance. Cas moans and opens up easily wanting every part of this Alpha inside him. The only thing that would make this moment better would be if Cas couldn't smell the stench of suppressants on his Alpha's skin.

Cas' head falls back as Dean starts a blazing trail of wet sloppy kisses down his neck, a low growl rumbling in the Alpha's chest as he walks them backwards until Cas' back hits the door. Dean grinds his hips forward. The Omega can feel the hard line of Dean's thick cock pressing into his hip, making him go crazy with want, slick wetting his channel and making him feel empty and aching.

A loud banging on the door tears them apart. It takes a moment for Cas to catch his breath, his eyes never leaving Dean's own wild stare.

"Cas, are you in there? Is Dean with you?"

Sam's worried voice breaks through the haze of Cas' heat, and the Omega crumples in on himself. What was he doing? He can't sleep with Dean. No matter how much they both might want it, Dean has no idea what he would be committing to. And what if this is it? Cas' last chance... he's not willing to throw away all the hard work he's gone through for a pup to sleep with an Alpha who would be driving thousands of miles away in just a few days. No matter how drawn he is to Dean, the timing wasn't right.

"Oh god, I can't do this. I'm sorry Dean,  _ fuck,  _ I'm sorry."

"What? No, Cas what-" Cas doesn't hear the end of Dean's question, he's too busy fleeing the room. He slams the door shut behind him and runs right into a solid object. Panicking he looks up into Sam's startled face.

"Cas what-" the Alpha's nose twitches sharply. "Oh shit, you're early."

Cas grabs the Alpha by the front of his tux.

"I have to get out of here, Sam." The Alpha must recognize the desperation in his voice because he doesn't hesitate to whisk him out the back door and around to his waiting car. He gives the driver strict instructions and gently helps Cas into the back seat, belting him in and speaking in soft reassuring murmurs.

"It's going to be okay, Cas. You get settled at home, and I'll be there soon. I've just got to find Dean and get him home, then I'll be over. Just rest while you can. I'll let myself in with the spare key you gave me."

Cas nods along, but inside he's aching. Sam's strong juniper scent has drowned out the faint traces of eucalyptus that had to have come from Dean, and his inner Omega is devastated at the loss. Sam wasn't the Alpha that his body was craving, but Cas still had enough brain function to know that he was making the right decision. 

He nods along not really listening to Sam, until the Alpha shuts his door and pats the roof of the car to let the driver know he was good to go. It takes much too long to get home, but Cas manages to arrive at his apartment without making a total fool of himself in front of the driver. By the time he's walking out of the elevator and down the hall, he's already shucked out of his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. Once he's inside of his apartment Cas strips the rest of his damp clothes, making his way to the blessed relief of his shower. It could be well over an hour before Sam arrives, and already he felt too far gone to function. No way was he going to make it without touching himself at least a little.

With a groan, Cas slips under the cool spray of water. He presses his cheek to the cold tile of the shower wall widening his stance and arching his back to let the water run down his back and the burning heat of his hole. He gasps at the shock of cold, but it's good,  _ so good _ . He grips his cock in one hand and reaches back to hold his ass open with the other, letting his fingers brush teasingly against his fluttering entrance.

His nipples pebble painfully, so he pushes his chest hard against the tile looking for relief, god he was on fire. Jacking his cock harshly, Cas finally gives in and plunges two fingers into his slick hole, moaning loud enough the neighbors can probably hear him through the walls. The shower is washing away the majority of his slick, so the stretch of his fingers comes with a delicious burn that brings him out of his head enough to work his ass with jerky thrusts as he continues to fist the angry purple head of his cock. 

Cas thinks about how once he gets a shot of Alpha come inside him, his body will cool down a bit and let him rest. But as soon as he thinks about Alpha come, his brain supplies the image of Dean with his powerful muscles and sharp teeth fucking his knot into Cas' dripping wet ass, and that's it. Cas' orgasm explodes out of him, painting the shower wall in rope after rope of thin Omega come.

Cas groans as his body flinches through the aftershocks of his release, the chill from the frigid water finally registering, making him shiver and his teeth chatter. Cas rinses his spend off the tiles before turning off the water and grabbing a large fluffy bath towel. His legs are a little wobbly as he makes his way to the nest on his bed. Before he can crawl into the center of the soft blankets though, a loud knock gets his attention for the second time that night.

Who the fuck was knocking? Sam had a key and no one else ever comes to Castiel's house unless he's having food delivered. As Cas shuffles to the door, his towel held tightly around his hips, an idea occurs to the Omega. What if it's Dean? The Alpha has dropped off Cas on more than one occasion after they'd spent time together, so he knows where Cas lives. What if he followed him home from the party? Cas' heart rate picks up, and he moves a little quicker to answer the door. 

The knocking becomes persistent and by the time Cas yanks the door open, he's convinced himself so thoroughly that Dean will be on the other side that he can't keep back the absolute shock of disappointment that pierces through him when he sees a flustered Sam standing in the doorway instead.

"I'm so sorry Cas, I forgot the damn key trying to get away from Dean." Soft hazel eyes take in Cas' sad expression. "Shit, it's really hitting you hard huh? Okay come on, get in your nest, and I'll get you a specimen." The Alpha looks worried, dropping his jacket over the back of the couch and herding Cas towards his room.

Cas just nods and lets Sam lead him back to his bedroom. Having his friend here reminds him why he left Dean behind at the party. With new resolve, Castiel makes his way to his dresser to dig out the supplies he'll need once Sam has his deposit ready. He pulls out a couple of prepackaged sterile syringes with shaky hands and dumps them onto his night stand along with his fake knot because he's definitely going to need that sooner rather than later. Cas fusses over the nest he's been building for the last week out of every throw blanket and extra pillow in the house but it doesn't feel right, it needs something else. Spotting the black dress shirt he'd discarded on the way to the shower Cas scoops it up and brings it up to his nose. It's faint, so faint it could be his imagination, but the cool scent of eucalyptus clings to the shirt, and once Cas adds it to his nest, he feels much more at ease.

A moment later, Sam raps on the door twice to signal he's left his cup outside the door. Cas snatches it up and goes through the by now familiar routine of injecting the Alpha seed inside himself. While it still triggers the hormonal response of cooling his heat, Cas can feel that this time is different. The cramping churning flames of his gut quiet but don't extinguish like they normally do after he's inseminated himself. Instead, it's like a persistent itch he can't quite reach. As soon as it's been a reasonable amount of time with his hips in the air tilted skyward to help hold in Sam's seed, Cas reaches for his fake knot hoping to take off the remaining edge.

He's loose and open from both his heat and from his time in the shower, so he doesn't waste time before rolling up onto his knees, lining up the head of the dildo with his entrance and slowly sinking down, letting gravity do the work of impaling him on the toy. His head falls back in pleasure as he's stretched around the thick silicone cock. Using one hand to hold the toy in place and the other to brace himself on the headboard Cas starts to roll his hips. It doesn't take long for his brain to start supplying him with images of Dean lying under him. It was easy to imagine it was Dean's cock filling him up instead of the toy he was riding. Easy to imagine the Alpha gripping his hips and thrusting up into his wet heat until his knot popped. Cas whines softly and works his hips harder. What would it be like to give himself over to Dean? To let the Alpha fuck the heat out of him, to breed him? 

That's the thought that has Cas spilling untouched all over his carefully made nest and pressing the button to inflate the fake knot and lock the toy inside him. The Omega keens lowly as once again he feels a sort of half relief. Too tired to do anything else, Cas slumps down in his bed covered in sweat with a dildo stuck in his ass as heat buzzes under his skin. 

How the fuck was he going to survive three whole days of this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright what do y'all think? Cas' heat is different this time around. Do you think it's just his boosted hormones or could something else be coming into play? Will he make it through all 3 days of his heat?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay but here is chapter 8! Also in the future due to a change in my work schedule *the last few chapters will continue to post on Wednesdays now* sorry for any inconvenience.
> 
> A huge giant amazing thank you to my beta @Beatrix_Kiddo who edited this very last minute so I could get it out to y'all today 🥰.
> 
> Enjoy! Also this chapter is NSFW

* * *

Day one: Cas is a mess as he works his heat toy to the breaking point. The faint scent of eucalyptus that had been clinging to the fabric of Castiel's shirt fades quickly as the Omega's own lemon scent sweetens and intensifies. Any time Sam gets remotely close to the door, Cas starts begging for help, but if the Alpha actually comes into the room, the smell of juniper makes Castiel's stomach roll. Sam's only solution is to pass cup after cup of his deposit through the door, but it never quite settles the heat burning through the Omega's veins. He sleeps fitfully throughout the night, crawling into his bathroom to douse his flushed skin under freezing water whenever the burn becomes unbearable.

Day two: Cas has to send Sam out for more bottles of gatorade, because he's gone through half his stockpile already. By the time the Alpha gets back, Castiel is so listless and hot that Sam panics and tries to call an ambulance. With a trembling voice, Cas manages to convince him not to call. This heat is intense, probably the worst he's ever had, but the Omega wasn't ready to give up yet. If he was taken to the hospital, they'd inject him with heat-stop, which would effectively kill any chances he has of catching this cycle and, with his fertility already in such a fragile state, potentially send him into a nosedive and early menopause.

Sam frets but agrees as long as Cas' temperature comes down at least a little bit. After downing an entire bottle of the sickly sweet blue drink Sam hands him, Cas agrees. It takes another dose of Alpha seed and an ice bath that Sam has to help him in and out of -- the Alpha's eye carefully trained on his face to help maintain what shreds of dignity Cas had left -- for his temps to drop down enough that Sam stops talking about doctors.

Day three: Cas cries...a lot. It's humiliating and definitely not in character for him, but usually by day three, his heat is winding down enough that it's hardly noticeable. Normally, this is the day he'd say goodbye to Sam, strip his sheets, air out the apartment, order in a big meal, and just rest. But if anything, he feels worse. 

Day four: Cas isn't coordinated enough to even bother with using the little syringes, so Sam spends the day pouring water and sport drinks and bowls full of broth down Castiel's throat. He finally passes out from sheer exhaustion around 6:00 pm and doesn't wake again until the next morning.

On day five, Cas opens his gritty eyes and takes in a deep breath. His body is sore and tired despite the long rest but he doesn't feel like he'd sell his soul for a knot, so that must mean his heat is finally beginning to wind down. It's not over yet, though; most likely, he'll have another day or two of low simmering heat, but he could at least function mostly like himself again. The first thing he does is take a hot shower, scrubbing away the tacky layer of sweat and other bodily fluids from his skin until he's pink and tingly all over. After slipping on a pair of soft grey sweatpants, leaving the rest of himself bare since his core temps were still high, he gulps down two full glasses of water before going on the hunt for something to eat. He settles on oatmeal since it will be bland enough to keep from upsetting his stomach but will also fill him up. A soft shuffling alerts him to Sam's presence. Looking up from his food, Cas finds hazel eyes filled with relief. 

"Jesus, Cas, you scared the shit out of me. The only reason I didn't call 911 was because your fever went down in your sleep." Sam flops into the chair opposite Cas at the small kitchen table; he looks about as wrung out as Cas feels, making guilt sour the Omega's stomach. The last five days have been above and beyond what they'd agreed on when they started out on this insemination business, but Sam was still here. Cas is gripped by a sudden fondness for the man sitting across from him. Never has he had a more true friend and, while their current situation has him hesitant to call Sam a brother, he is like family. No matter the outcome of their efforts, Cas will always be grateful for the Alpha's role in this phase of his life.

For now though, he just wants to spend the next few days alone and resting until he feels human again. Even now, he can feel the embers of his heat coming back to life. Cas figures he'll be able to get through the day with just his toy and his hand. While he's still technically fertile all the days of his heat cycle, the peak days have passed.

Sam seems happy to be let off the hook, and he quickly packs up the few things he brought along.

"I think I'm going to check into a hotel for a night. If I go home now I'll reek of your heat, and Dean will drive me nuts with his pestering, wanting to know who I was with. Call me if you need anything, okay? If it gets bad again Cas, I think you should just go straight to the ER." 

Cas hugs Sam goodbye and promises to call if there's an emergency. Once he's alone, the Omega takes a cleansing breath, looking around his apartment with a critical eye. It was time to clean up. Cas starts by opening the windows wide before changing his sheets and starting the wash. He may need to just burn that set after the last few days. While making his bed Cas finds his discarded cellphone knocked half under the bed, and he scoops it up to place on the charger. It's down to 5% battery, but he can see multiple message alerts and missed calls.

He flips through them quickly. There's a missed call from Sam the night of the party, followed by a text from him about not having his key. A handful of missed calls from his Mother and brothers and one lone text from Dean. Cas' hesitates, his thumb hovering over the message before tapping to open it quickly.

  
  


**_I'm sorry Cas._ **

**_Please call me._ **

  
  


Cas swallows down the guilt and longing that comes with thinking about running from Dean that night. He was going to have to have an honest conversation with the Alpha before he goes home. Hopefully, it wouldn't send the man screaming for the hills. There are also two messages from Pie on the Friends Helping Friends forum.

  
  


**To: Seven89**

**Hey Seven, how goes it? Hey do you think I could ask you a question about Omegas? I think I could really use some advice. Anyway hit me up anytime.**

  
  


**To: Seven89**

**Hey Seven don't want to bug ya but haven't heard back so wanted to check in. Hope everythings alright. Ttyl.**

  
  


Cas feels bad for missing Pie's messages, but he'll understand once the Omega explains he was in heat. By the time he's finished with his phone, it's already midday. His appetite still wasn't back to normal, but he manages to choke down some of the leftover chicken Sam had cooked for a light lunch. Heat was still crawling under his skin, but he beats it back, determined to wait at least another hour before using his heat toy. Trying to distract himself from the way slick is slowly starting to seep from his channel, Cas decides to keep cleaning. Normally, Sam is an exemplary house guest, but with the much more active role he'd stepped into with this cycle, the place had been left a bit of a mess.

In the kitchen, Cas loads the dishwasher, wipes down counters, and makes a list of groceries he'll need to order in. The bathroom is next, but outside of a small pile of damp towels, it looks like Sam kept the space clean. The guest room smells so strongly of the tall Alpha that Cas gags a little when he opens the door. It was too much for his still sensitive stomach, so he throws open the window to air the space out and closes the door firmly behind him. He can change the sheets and clean up later. The living room is virtually untouched, except for Sam's tux jacket still draped over the back of the couch. Just as Cas is reaching to pick the jacket up to put it away in the coat closet, he hears a soft knock on the door.

_ Shit _ , Cas thinks as he looks down at his slick damp sweat pants and shirtless form. He thinks about just pretending to not be home, but the knock comes again a little louder, and Cas' feet start moving without his consent. He grabs a stray throw blanket off the back of the couch on his way and wraps it around himself like a shawl. 

Two things happen at once when Cas opens the door.

The first is the absolute shock that takes over when he sees Dean standing in the doorway, bags under his eyes and wringing Cas' trenchcoat that had been forgotten at his brother's party between his hands.

The second is the flames that engulf him like an inferno as a wall of eucalyptus and cedarwood hit him like a steam engine. Cas stands frozen as his addled brain attempts to process what's happening. Dean looks unsure of himself as he starts talking.

"I'm sorry Cas, I couldn't stay away. You and Sam just went MIA, and no one was answerin' their phone, and you were so upset when you left the party. I brought your coat... _ whoa _ ." The tension drains from Dean's body as Cas' scent hits him for the first time blocker-free and his pretty green eyes flash Alpha red for a split second. " _ Jesus _ Cas, is that your scent?"

Before he can second guess himself, Cas plasters himself against Dean with his nose pressed against the Alpha's neck, sucking in lungfuls of the clean, _ suppressant free  _ scent and making needy little sounds in the back of his throat. It's warm and soothing and has every cell in his body screaming  _ mate mate mate  _ as he pants helplessly against Dean's neck.

The Alpha drops the coat in his hands in favor of gripping Cas' hips hard and bringing the rest of their bodies flush together, a low rumble starting up in his chest. Cas nuzzles in along Dean's shoulder, practically purring against the Alpha's skin.

"Alpha, my Alpha, I needed you, need you please."

"Anything Cas, tell me what you need."

Cas whimpers softly as he tries to get a hold of his racing thoughts, the most prominent one being that he needs his Alpha's knot like yesterday.

"Take me to bed, Dean, please." Somewhere in the back of Castiel's mind, he hates how breathless he sounds. Hates the way he's been reduced to this needy Omega stereotype but the rest of his mind is screaming to take Dean's knot, to bite and claim and  _ breed _ with  _ his _ Alpha.

Dean lets out a low groan and in a mouthwatering display of Alpha strength, he lifts Cas right off his feet, the Omega's legs wrapping around Dean's slim hips on instinct alone. He threads his arms around Dean's neck, blanket dropping from his shoulders and slick practically gushing out of Cas as the Alpha steps into the apartment, kicking the door shut behind them. Their mouths slam together in a desperate kiss. It's just as intense as the last time, and Cas gets lost for a moment in the wet heat of his Alpha's kiss. His back hitting the wall punches the breath right out of him in a deep groan. The hard line of Dean's swollen cock lines up with Cas' through the material of their pants, but it still makes his stomach swoop with lust and anticipation.

Dean's hips rock in short little thrusts as his mouth moves to devour Castiel's neck in hot kisses and sharp stinging nips. Just the thought of the marks his Alpha will leave behind has Cas clenching his ass in anticipation.

"Bed Cas,  _ fuck,  _ where?"

Cas has enough brain cells left to point down the hall to the open door of his bedroom. Dean's hands grip his ass hard and with sure steps, he moves them away from the wall and carries Cas right to the bed. He drops Cas gently on the mattress, making the Omega bounce but he's too busy pushing his sweat pants down his legs to care. 

Dean is ripping off the multiple layers of shirts he has on, but Cas is past the point of patience. Scooting forward to the edge of the bed, he spreads his legs wide and reels Dean in by his hips to stand between them. With fumbling hands, Cas unbuckles the Alpha's belt and makes quick work of the button and zipper of his jeans. Tucking his thumbs into the waistband of both Dean's boxers and pants, Cas tugs down hard until the Alpha's fat heavy cock springs free. 

It's fucking huge and already wet at the tip, making Cas' mouth water. He lets out a greedy little whine and buries his face in the coarse hair along the base of Dean's cock, nuzzling the shaft softly and taking in the musky scent of his Alpha. Cas' hole is fluttering with the need to be filled, but he's determined to get a taste while he can. Dean's hands land heavy on Castiel's shoulders, the Alpha panting out his pleasure as Cas trails sloppy wet kisses up the underside of Dean's shaft. When he gets to the glistening tip, he laps up the bitter fluid waiting for him with little kitten licks, groaning at the first taste of his Alpha.

That seems to be the breaking point for Dean, and the Alpha pushes Cas back on the bed before dropping to his knees between the Omega's thighs. Dean doesn't hesitate to swallow Cas' cock like a fucking champ, engulfing him in wet heat that has slick pouring out of Cas in response. He leans back on his elbows and looks down the length of his own body to watch, but it's not long before Cas' eyes slip shut, his head falling back in pleasure, at the sight of Dean, of  _ his  _ Alpha. Watching him on his knees with his mouth full of Cas' cock completely focused on Castiel's pleasure was just too much. He gets a hand into Dean's hair just to feel more of the Alpha against him when Dean sinks forward and engulfs the entirety of Cas' member, the Alpha's throat fluttering around the sensitive head of his cock and ripping a guttural sound from deep within him. As mind meltingly good as Dean's mouth feels though, it's his knot that Castiel craves.

"Alpha, Alpha please...need your knot."

The words hardly pass his lips before Dean pulls off his cock with a lude pop and a last kiss to the head. He stands up, one hand pumping that thick cock of his and his eyes, tinted Alpha red, bore into Cas.

"On your knees for me Omega, show me that pretty hole."

Cas groans and scrambles to flip over, presenting his ass to his Alpha, his skin on fire.

"So good for me, Cas. Gonna be my good Omega? Let me knot you, let me bite you?"

Cas' whole body shudders at Dean's words. He wants it so bad, wants everything the Alpha will give him. Two fingers press against Cas' soaked opening, and he pushes back eagerly. He opens easily after days of stretching himself around his heat toy.

"Fuck Cas, you're so ready for me. Want my cock, Omega?"

Cas nods frantically against the sheets and Dean doesn't make him wait, just lines up the fat head of his cock and presses forward. Cas keens lowly as he's stretched wider than he's even been. Dean's so big, he has to rock in and out in short shallow thrusts in order to open Cas up enough to sink all the way in, both of them panting and breathless when Dean finally bottoms out. Cas feels split in two and full to bursting, but still he wiggles against Dean's hips wanting the Alpha to move. The scent of slick and Alpha arousal fills the room, driving Cas mad with need.

"Jesus Christ Cas, you're tight. God I wish you could see yourself." Dean runs a finger along the stretched out rim, smearing the excess slick into Cas' skin.

"Please Alpha, please move. Fuck me."

"Shh Cas, I got you, gonna give you everything you need." Cas almost sobs when Dean pulls back, and it feels like he's taking the Omega's insides with him as his channel tries to suck the Alpha back in. When just the head of Dean's cock remains inside, the Alpha stops, pauses a moment to trail his hands down Cas' back and ass before slowly, so agonizingly slowly, sinking back in until his hips are flush against the supple swell of Cas' ass. 

A few more slow thrusts and Cas really is sobbing, writhing on Dean's dick as he begs his Alpha to fuck him harder.

"Dean need it, harder, fuck me harder, Alpha."

"Don't want to hurt you."

Cas shakes his head and groans as Dean slides back in, brushing the Omega's prostate softly and making him arch his back seeking more friction. His cock sits heavy and neglected between his legs, drooling so much there's a puddle on the sheets below him, a string of precome connecting it to his aching dick. The heat clawing under Cas' skin was becoming unbearable, so the Omega goes for the one thing he knows will push his Alpha over the edge. He waits till just the tip of Dean is inside him and then clamps down on the fat cock and slams his hips back. 

Dean's hands grip Cas' hips hard enough to bruise as they both moan loud and low.

"Fuck me Alpha, give me that knot,  _ breed  _ me Dean."

Dean growls and drapes his body over Cas' back, latching his teeth onto the back of his neck as he finally,  _ finally,  _ starts slamming into the Omega's wet sloppy hole. It's hard enough to shake the whole bed, but it's finally quelling the lava in Cas' belly. Each hard thrust of Dean's hips punches a breathless grunt from Cas' mouth and more slick from his hole. He can feel the start of Dean’s knot and for the first time wonders if it will even fit. Dean is growling possessively where he's still got Cas' skin between his teeth as he pounds into the Omega at a bruising pace.

"Yes Alpha! Knot me, do it please,  _ knot me _ ."

"Mine," Dean pants out against Cas' skin. "My Omega, my mate, gonna breed you up with my litter. You want that, Cas? Want everyone to know I fucked a pup into you?"

Cas' orgasm punches out of him so hard at Dean's words, he nearly blacks out. The tight squeeze of his ass while his dick spits out his come seems to be the last straw for the Alpha above him, and Dean slams in hard grinding his hips in circles until Cas' abused hole manages to stretch around his huge knot, locking them together as Dean spills rope after rope of Alpha come right against Cas' cervix.

Cas is still working through his own orgasm and the painful stretch of his Alpha's knot when he's hit with another mind numbing wave of pleasure as Dean's teeth sink into his mating gland. They stay like that, Dean heavy and warm against Castiel's back, the Alpha's hips twitching every few minutes pumping more come into Cas' guts, while they catch their breath.

Dean gently removes his teeth from his mating bite and laves his tongue along the tender flesh. With an exhausted huff, the Alpha shifts them up and onto their sides on the bed to rest and wait out his knot. For the first time in five days, Cas feels relief, complete and blissful relief, from the heat that's been boiling his insides. Dean's arms come around him, one under his head and one around his hip, to rest his warm palm along his flat belly. Safe in his Alpha's arms, Cas lets his eyes slip shut and sleeps.

His heat wakes him a few hours later, and when he comes while riding Dean's cock, the Alpha's eyes shining with lust and devotion as he watches Cas move above him, the Alpha cradles the back of his head and guides him to leave his own mark on Dean. His blunt Omega teeth work hard to break the skin, but when Cas sees the dainty mark left behind, he finds himself purring in satisfaction. Now any one who looks will be able to tell this Alpha is  _ his. _ Dean knots him three more times that night before Cas' heat seems to retract for good and they fall into bed, exhausted but happy.

It's well into the morning when Cas next opens his eyes. He's lying against his mate's strong chest, his head moving up and down gently with each deep breath Dean takes. The bed has become a nest of blankets and warmth filled with the mingling scents of lemon and eucalyptus. Cas snuggles down against his mate's skin. He isn't quite ready to wake up and face the world. For the first time in a long time, Cas feels happy, content even, and he doesn't want to ruin the feeling by worrying about what happened yesterday.

Except now that he's started thinking about it, he can't stop. Castiel and Dean are mated now and while just the thought has a warm happiness flooding his belly, Cas knows it's not that simple. What happens when Dean's vacation is over? Will his Alpha expect him to move? Castiel's whole life was here in California. His friends, his work, and all his nieces and nephews. Cas can't leave all that behind but likewise, Dean has his own life back in Sioux Falls. Not to mention, poor Sam being stuck in the middle of all of this.

_ Oh god _ , Cas thinks.  _ Sam. _ Dean's  _ brother _ , the very same Alpha who only days ago was supplying Cas with sperm in an attempt to get pregnant. Oh fuck, oh god, Cas didn't even think of Sam once he'd gotten a whiff of Dean. While Sam had been the one here for Cas' peak fertile days, Dean had knotted him, repeatedly, while pumping seed directly against his fluttering cervix and keeping him plugged for at least an hour after each knotting.

If Cas got pregnant now, he'd have no way of telling which Alpha was the sire. What if the thought of Cas having another Alpha's pup, Dean's  _ brother's _ pup, would be too much? What if his Alpha rejected his claim after finding out? Cas is spiraling quickly into a panic when Dean shifts underneath him, his arms going tighter around the Omega.

"What's got you smelling like a lemonhead, sweetheart? You smell sour enough to make pickles. Not having regrets, are you?" The last part is said in a soft voice that makes Cas' heart ache.

He sits up quickly so he can look into the clear green eyes of his Alpha.

"No Dean, I don't regret mating you. It feels too perfect, too right for me to ever regret your bite. But..." and here Cas reaches out to cup Dean's face, "there is a lot we never had the chance to talk about. A lot of decisions we'll need to make if we want to make this work."

Dean gives him a small cautious smile. "Well, maybe we should put some pants on and find something to eat first."

Cas figures this might be a little easier to talk about dressed so he agrees, but not before leaning in to press a soft kiss to his Alpha's lips. He doesn't know if he'll be allowed for much longer, and he wants to remember every second of having Dean as his Alpha.

Cas lends Dean a pair of sweats and, after digging through his fridge, comes up with a few slices of bacon and some frozen potatoes o’brien. He's out of eggs, but there's cheese to sprinkle on top and a couple of bananas to hold them over. Dean works the coffee pot watching the steaming liquid drip into his waiting cup like it held the answers to the universe. 

"Shit, my phone," Cas hears Dean mumble under his breath before he heads down the hallway towards the bedroom. Cas tries to concentrate on cooking instead of the gnawing anxiety rolling around in his guts. He's just setting the full plates on the table when he hears Dean's footsteps pause.

"What's this?"

Cas looks up, and his heart stops. Dean is holding Sam's jacket, the one the other Alpha had forgotten draped over Castiel's couch.

"This is Sam's jacket. The one he was wearing at your brother's party. What is it doing here?"

Cas is absolutely frozen in place. He has no idea what lie Sam told Dean when he left him behind, and he doesn't want to throw his friend under the bus. But he also knows how this must look to Dean who's staring at him with thinly veiled hurt in his eyes.

Cas takes a deep breath. As much as this conversation terrifies him, it's now or never and Dean deserves to know.

"Alpha, we need to talk."

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunnnnn!
> 
> So how are we feeling?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy y'all here we are at the end of our little story, well technically the end as chapter 10 is the epilogue but(!) It's a a full chapter length epilogue. I'm sorry I'm behind on responding to comments we've had some family health issues. Just know that I read every one of them and they mean the world to me ❤.
> 
> As always a big big thank you to Beatrix_Kiddo for being the best beta a gal could ask for and a super awesome friend as well.

* * *

The silence of the room stretches out awkward and heavy between them. Cas knows what this looks like; he knows Dean's imagination is probably going wild right now, but the words he needs to say are stuck in his throat. 

"Cas, just tell me before I lose it...are you in a relationship with Sam, or were you before we mated? Did I bite my brother's Omega?" Dean looks positively sick just saying the words, and Cas rushes to reassure him, shaking his head firmly, Dean's anxious expression finally breaking his nervous silence.

"No, no, I can say that there has never been a romantic relationship between your brother and me. We're friends, best friends, family even, but nothing more."

Dean's quiet for a moment as he stares down at his plate of untouched food, but Cas can see by the slump of his previously tense shoulders that his Alpha is relieved.

"Were you sleeping together? Was he here helping you through your heat?" Dean asks quietly.

Cas opens his mouth to answer but hesitates. While Sam wasn't sleeping with him, he  _ was _ helping Cas through his heat and really, if he got pregnant, the results would be the same either way. Unfortunately, Dean misinterprets Castiel's silence because he moves to stand up, whether it's with the intent to leave or just pace around, Castiel doesn't know, but either way the Omega's hand shoots out to grip Dean's wrist in fear.

"Don't go Dean, please. Let me explain. Sam and I have never had sex, but things are not that simple. He  _ was _ here helping me but not in the way you think. Just please sit down, and I'll tell you everything."

Dean stands there for a long moment searching Castiel's face. He must see whatever it is he's looking for, because he slowly sits back down. Cas feels a little bit of the knot inside his chest loosen. He hadn't had a chance to think about it before, but after that scene yesterday with their mating, the blue-eyed man is almost positive Dean is his truemate. Which means it's even more important that Cas gets this right.

"Thank you, Dean. I'm going to have to start at the beginning so bear with me. I promise it's all relevant." 

"Okay Cas, just...just lay it on me, man." Dean sounds exhausted, and it makes Cas' inner Omega whine with displeasure that his Alpha might be unhappy because of him.

"As you can clearly see, I'm a few years past my prime for an Omega." Dean scoffs but Castiel pushes forward, just trying to get the words out. "I spent most of my twenties establishing my career, and I was happy to do so. I always had dreams of a family one day, mate and pups, white picket fence, that type of deal." Dean's eyes drop to the table where his hands are clasped together so hard they're turning white. Cas tries not to see it as a bad sign.

"But I never found the right partner, and pretty soon I was being told if I waited any longer, I'd never carry my own pup." Cas swallows, his mouth dry from nerves, but he doesn't want to stop now to get a glass of water. Dean notices though and quietly slips from Castiel's hold to pad into the kitchen. He finds two clean glasses in the dishwasher and fills them from the dispenser in the front of the refrigerator. A small warmth starts to build in Castiel's stomach seeing his Alpha trying to take care of him, even now. Dean's cheeks are a lovely pink when he sits back down placing a glass in front of each of them.

"Thank you, Dean." Cas' eyes are impossibly soft as he gazes at his Alpha. He just wants to get this over with so they can (hopefully) go back to bed and spend the day in each other's arms.

"No problem, Cas." Dean waves for him to continue, so after quickly gulping half his glass, he takes a breath and tries to remember where he left off.

"Yes, well the point is I had made the decision to go ahead and have my family despite not having a mate." Dean's head snaps up.

"Are you trying to tell me you already have a pup, Cas?" The relief written all over his Alpha's face is definitely not what Castiel would have expected for that kind of statement, and the way Dean's face falls when he shakes his head no is even more curious.

"No Dean, I don't currently have any children."

His Alpha clears his throat and obviously has something to say, so Cas sits patiently waiting. "Sorry I just...um well, I guess there's some things I should tell you, too, and I know I asked you to explain, but if I don't get this out, I'm not sure I ever will."

Cas reaches out and to his surprise, Dean willingly grabs his hand, linking his own work-rough fingers between Castiel's and cradling their linked hands in his free one. 

"Look Cas, I know we said a lot of things last night in the heat of the moment. Like about breeding you, but I have to tell you if we stay together, I can't give you pups. I'm sorry but I'm..I'm sterile."

"Oh," is all Cas can think to say. Well, at least if he gets pregnant, he'll know who the sire is. But one look at Dean's pale, sweaty face with his sad eyes landing everywhere but on Cas has the Omega calmly standing up and drawing Dean to his feet. Quietly, he leads his Alpha to the couch and sinks down onto the cushions and gently tugs Dean down to settle between the vee of his legs, chest to chest. He gets his arms around Dean to hold him safe and warm and brushes gentle kisses along his forehead.

"It's okay, Dean. I promise I don't think any less of you."

Dean shudders when Cas cards his fingers through the soft spikes of his hair. At least that's one big issue out in the open. As right and good as it feels having Dean's bite on his neck, Cas is very aware that they don't  _ really  _ know each other at all. If all goes well, they'll have plenty of time to learn, though. Which means it was his turn to confess.

"Alpha, I need to tell you how Sam was helping me."

Dean goes stiff in his arms but doesn't pull away. When he doesn't say anything, Cas takes that as his cue to continue. He keeps up the rhythmic petting of his Alpha's hair.

"Like I was saying, I had made the decision to have a pup on my own, but unfortunately being a single Omega was more of an obstacle than I had anticipated. Applying for adoption or as a foster parent wasn't an option available to me, and according to my doctor, fertility treatments were off the menu because, once again, my single status was an issue. I didn't want to just sleep around until I had a successful heat, but I figured no one could stop me from trying artificial insemination on my own. I just needed an Alpha donor, which is where Sam comes in." 

Dean gasps softly and pulls away to sit up, but it's not anger or disgust Cas sees in his eyes. The Alpha's scent, which has mostly been muted and dull with worry throughout their conversation, blooms in the space between them. Smoky cedarwood overpowers the eucalyptus scent Cas was coming to love.

"Hold on Cas, let me get this straight. You've been trying to get pregnant, and Sam has been helping you, but you're not having sex. So Sam is just a sperm donor?"

Cas nods his head slowly, not sure what to make of Dean's reaction.

"Tell me how that works."

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Cas carefully explains the method they'd been using for his past heats and even goes into detail about the differences with this last cycle. Dean looks like he's been punched in the gut listening to Cas describe how intense and painful the last few days have been.

"It wasn't your fault, Alpha. You didn't know, and I was too stubborn to see what was right in front of me."

Dean doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't interrupt either. Cas finishes when he gets to the part where Dean shows up at his door, and they sit there quietly on the couch. Cas feels wrung out and exhausted from his heat and the emotional rollercoaster of mating. Dean looks lost in thought, but slowly his hand creeps across the small space between them to rest against the firm muscle of Castiel's thigh.

"You know, Cas, this is going to sound crazy, but I have this friend who's going through the exact same thing. I've been talking to him for the last few months on this fertility forum online."

Cas whips his head around, his mouth falling open in shock. "Oh my god. That's...th-that's impossible. The odds are fucking astronomical…"

Dean's handsome face is practically split in two, he's smiling so wide while Cas can hardly process what his Alpha is suggesting.

"Are you PieEater67?!"

Dean lets out a loud whoop and slaps his own thigh, the sound filling the room like a whip crack.

"And that makes you Seven89! Cas, can you fucking believe it?! That has to be some cosmic truemate shit right there! We've been talking for months. I was even going to tell you about the awesome Omega I met while visiting my brother."

A dozen feelings race through Castiel's mind all at once, but mostly he just feels fucking relieved. He knows a lot more about PieEater than he does Dean, and it's comforting to know that they aren't starting as quite the strangers he thought they were. Of course, they still have a lot more to talk about, but it was a start. Finally, Cas lets a small smile slip. Maybe this was going to be okay after all.

His good mood doesn't last long though, as he realizes Dean had successfully glossed over the bigger issue of Sam being his sperm donor. Cas hates to be the one to make Dean's smile fade, but they  _ have _ to talk this all the way through. 

Cas reaches out to cup Dean's face, slowly dragging his thumb along the line of his plush bottom lip. Dean leans into his palm without thought, making Cas' heart clench.

"What if I catch from this heat, Dean? It's a very real possibility, and before we go any further, I need to know if you'd be able to handle the fact that Sam would be the sire of our pup."

Dean's scent dulls again as his eyes cloud with doubt, and Cas lets his hand slip down to rest in his own lap. 

"I'm not gonna lie, Cas. It's weird but not necessarily a deal breaker for me. How hands on was Sam planning to be if things worked out? Was this like his big chance to be a dad and now I've fucked it up? Break it down for me."

Cas feels hope swell inside him, and he has to work hard to not let the feeling overwhelm him.

"You haven't fucked anything up Dean, and even if you had, I'd be equally to blame. I was a willing partner after all when you bit me." Dean blushes so cute that Cas can't help but to lean over to peck a couple of sweet kisses on his Alpha's dreamy lips. Pulling back, they've both got sappy smiles on their faces and pink cheeks. Cas clears his throat and tries to focus.

"When Sam and I made our arrangement, I tried to get it as close to a clinical donation as a DIY insemination could get. So there was never any intention of Sam playing the role of a father. He's always going to be my friend, and we had agreed on more of a familiar role like an uncle." The irony of Sam taking on the role of uncle, now that Cas had actually mated his brother, was not lost on the Omega.

Dean thinks for a minute before kind of shrugging his shoulders. "Okay, so if you did catch, it would be Sam's biological pup, but we'd raise it together as ours?"

Hopeful green eyes look into his own, and Cas nods softly. "That is, of course, if you want to stay mated to me. I know that's moving really fast, so if you want to take some time to think it over, I'll understand." He won't like it, but he'll definitely understand.

"Honestly, I think I'm good. I know it probably sounds ridiculous, but I'm ready Cas. I want to get to know you better and figure out a life together, and if that means starting off with a pup, I'm okay with that. I mean, I've always wanted to be a dad, and it's not like I come from a traditional type of family, so let's do this. I'm all in, as long as you'll have me. But um...maybe we could revisit the whole Sam thing if you aren't pregnant?"

"Just like that? It doesn't bother you?" Cas can't help but to push a little. After all, the saying "too good to be true" had to have come from somewhere, and he didn't want to be in the middle of giving birth when Dean suddenly realizes he wasn't as okay with it all as he thought. Not that Castiel really thinks Dean would abandon him like that, but the mind has a way of getting stuck on worst case scenarios.

Dean rubs the back of his neck as he shrugs. "I mean like I said, it's kind of weird, but it's not like we were courting or even really knew each other when you and Sam started all this. I can understand the struggle of wanting pups but having complications. You didn't do anything wrong Cas, so I don't really have a reason to be upset. Plus, even if we had gone the typical route of courtship before mating and then planning a family, you still would have needed a donor or an adoption. I'm okay, really. Are you okay with all this?"

It's a little hard to take in how perfect Dean seems right now and Cas knows, he  _ knows _ , it's not good to put someone up on a pedestal, but right now he doesn't give a fuck. Tears prick softly at the backs of his eyes as he takes in the Alpha in front of him,  _ his  _ Alpha, his  _ mate _ . Cas didn't think he'd ever find a mate of his own, and now he could potentially have everything he'd ever dreamed of. 

Dean's face crumples when he notices his tears, so before the Alpha can get any silly ideas in his head that Castiel is anything other than happy, he leans over to press their foreheads together.

"I'm more than okay, Dean. I'm happy, excited, hopeful... you name it."

Dean presses a soft kiss to the center of Cas' forehead, and the Omega sighs, melting into his Alpha's embrace. Dean trails warm lips across his eyelids, down the bridge of his nose, to peck a little kiss on the tip before drawing him in to a kiss so tender, Cas aches for it. They sit like that for some time, slick lips and tangled tongues, until the rumble of Castiel's empty belly pulls them apart.

The blush on Castiel's cheeks spreads down his neck as he smiles sheepishly at Dean. He can't help that their big talk interrupted breakfast.

Dean leads Cas by the hand back to the table, but the food that had looked so appealing earlier just looks cold and sad now. Still, Dean puts the plates in the microwave just long enough to warm up the potatoes and they shovel their food down in record time. Cas is too hungry after the amount of calories he lost over the last few days to worry about table manners, and Dean doesn't seem to be too worried about them, either. They leave the dishes in the sink for later, and after a moment of awkward silence, Cas smiles shy at his Alpha and takes his hand.

"Come on Alpha, let's go back to bed."

Dean's cheeks pink up at Cas' simple suggestion, but he follows without argument. They fall into bed, wiggling around until they are in a similar position to how Castiel woke this morning. Dean gets on his back with an arm around Cas, who's tucked up along his side with his head on Dean's chest. Cas carefully traces the black tattoo, a pentagram surrounded in flames, on his Alpha's chest. Sam has an identical one -- Cas remembers seeing in their college days -- but he's never asked the meaning behind it. One more thing for him to learn about his Alpha. The room is quiet except for the sound of their breathing, and it doesn't take long for Castiel to fall asleep, safe and hopeful against Dean's warm body.

  
  


**☆☆☆**

  
  
  


When Cas wakes next, it's late afternoon with the sun shining bright and hot right in his face. They've shifted in their sleep, and Cas can feel the hot line of his Alpha's chest plastered against his back and the bulge of Dean's swollen cock pressing lightly against his ass. The other man's breathing is still deep and steady even as he grinds his hips against Cas in his sleep. Cas' own dick is already hard and leaking, and who knows how long they've been like this.

Biting his lip against the jolt of pleasure coursing through his barely awake mind, Cas tries to stay quiet, but he can't quite hold in the desperate little whimpers escaping his throat. He's already keyed up just from having his Alpha rub against him. Slick gathering fast and dripping from his entrance, his body is instantly on board with whatever's to come next.

Dean stirs behind him, snuffling at the junction of Castiel's neck as the sharp tang of his arousal blooms around them. A deep rumble starts up in Dean's chest as he wakes, and his hand tightens where it rests against Cas' belly. 

"Fuck Cas, you smell good." Dean's voice is sleep rough, sending chills down Castiel's spine. "Is this okay?" Dean's hips grind hard against his plush ass, pulling a whine out of Cas as he presses back against his Alpha. Dean lets out a low growl as he palms at the waist of Cas' sweatpants, hastily pushing the material down to the Omega's thighs. The smell of Cas' slick fills the air between them, making them both let out needy little sounds.

"Wanna taste you, Cas." Dean presses against his shoulder until Cas rolls onto his belly and Dean shimmies down the length of him, kicking off the blankets and sliding Cas' pants the rest of the way down his legs. Cas parts his legs on instinct, getting his knees under him and his ass up in the air. He can feel the heat of Dean's eyes as his Alpha palms his cheeks apart to expose his slick rim to the cool air of the room.

"So wet for me, sweetheart. Gonna make you feel so good." Dean's thumb circles the fluttering pucker before plunging in, making Cas gasp and wiggle against the intrusion. He wants more. Tilting his hips back, Cas rocks against Dean's thumb, panting and spreading his legs wider as Dean thrusts the single digit in and out of him.

"Thought you were going to taste me, Alpha."

Dean groans and pulls his thumb out abruptly replacing it with the wide flat plane of his tongue, licking slowly up the crease of Castiel's ass, cleaning up every shining trace of Cas' sweet slick. Dean lets out a choked off whimper as the first bright taste of Castiel's slick hits his tongue, and he buries his face in the Omega's ass, clamping down on Castiel's hips and yanking him back on his face. Cas whimpers as Dean's searing hot tongue spears inside his needy hole, making more slick flood the Alpha's mouth. It's been literal years since anyone has paid this much attention to Cas' ass, and it has his entire body flushing hot with desire. If he hadn't just gone through the heat from hell, Cas would almost say that's what he was feeling now.

Cas rocks shamelessly against Dean's face, his dick drooling on the sheets below him. The wet slurping sounds as Dean opens him up enough to take two of his thick fingers alongside his tongue is obscene and only adds to the pulses of hot lust bursting in Castiel's gut. His hands fist in the sheets as he fights off the orgasm he can feel building inside him. 

"Oh god Dean, I'm close."

Dean moans, and Cas feels it more than hears it. The fingers working in and out of him twist and crook until Dean finds that perfect spot inside of him that makes sparks light up behind his eyelids, and that's it. Cas lets out a desperate sob as he presses back against Dean and comes so hard, his vision goes dark around the edges and his ears start to ring.

He's jelly-limbed and pliant when Dean pulls away to drop a kiss to each ass cheek before getting to his knees, his own pants pulled down just enough to feed his fat Alpha cock one inch at a time into Cas' sloppy wet hole. He's loose enough from coming and from Dean's mouth that his Alpha slides right in, making Cas sigh with contentment at the feel of Dean's knot already half inflated. Dean takes his time, using his big hands to spread Cas' ass so he can watch the way Cas' rim stretches taut around the girth and slick shine of his dick. It doesn't take much, maybe a dozen thrusts at most, before Dean's knot pops and locks them in place as his Alpha twitches and pulses inside him, filling Cas up nice and full. 

Chests heave as they try to catch their breath, and Dean kisses along the tacky, sweaty, damp skin of his back, his tongue darting out every now and again to taste, making Cas shiver and clamp down on the knot locked inside him. Dean shudders as Cas milks another pulse of cum from his Alpha.

They stay like that, Dean's weight warm and heavy across Cas' back, until his legs buckle and they drop down to the bed. Dean quickly gets them on their sides to wait out the rest of his knot. Cas is dick drunk and sleepy again as his Alpha trails the tips of his calloused fingers along his body. Brushing along the length of his arm, the width of his chest until it settles low, low on his belly.

"Alpha," Cas sighs quietly as he feels a rumbling purr against his back where Dean's chest is pressed up tight to him. Dean hums softly, nuzzling along his neck and dropping tender kisses to the still raw mating bite he finds there. Cas settles his own palm on top of Dean's and lets himself doze off to the feeling of his mate surrounding him.

When they finally drag themselves from bed and stumble into the shower, spending more time trailing hands over water slick skin and trading kisses with swollen lips than actually washing themselves, the day is almost over. Cas wrinkles his nose at the mess they made of his bed, but he figures that's a problem for future Cas and leaves it for later. Making his way to the dresser to root around for two more sets of clean sweatpants, Cas makes a mental note to do another load of laundry. He passes the pants to Dean who once again doesn't mention the obvious lack of a shirt. They're not a perfect fit, but they'll do. It's hard to believe, but watching Dean slide the dark grey material up his legs to settle on those narrow hips has the same profound effect on Castiel's body as seeing him naked, but though the mind is willing, Cas' body needs a break. Doesn't mean he can't enjoy the view though.

Cas is just sliding his own legs into his pants when he hears Dean curse under his breath. The Alpha is staring at his phone with a guilty expression and his shoulders rounded in on himself.

"Is something wrong?"

"Got about a dozen missed calls from Sam. I wasn't really thinking when I left his place and didn't leave a note or anything."

Cas feels his own heart clench with guilt when he remembers Sam's worried face as he reluctantly left the other day. Snatching his own phone off its charger, Cas sees just as many missed calls on his own phone and a few texts as well. Before he can even think of returning any of Sam's calls though, Dean's got his phone pressed against his ear. The phone isn't set to speaker but Cas can still here the stressed out sound of Sam's "Dean, what the fuck? Where are you?" clear as day.

Dean sighs and sinks down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm fine, Sam…yeah I know, I didn't mean to worry ya…"

Cas waves his hand to catch Dean's attention before mouthing at Dean to invite Sam over. His Alpha's eyebrows shoot up but he nods his head.

"Yeah okay...ok-...Sam, Jesus Christ, I didn't do it on purpose. Now would you shut up and listen for one sec?! Okay, I'm at Cas' place, and he's telling me to tell you to come over...I guess you'll find out when you get here...You too, Sammy, see ya in a few."

Dean hangs up and lets out a tired groan before falling back into the rumpled sheets.

"Well, this should be fun. Mind telling me why I just invited Sam over?"

Cas' mouth ticks up in the corner as he looks down at his Alpha. So dramatic.

"I figured it was better to explain things in person, and I know food always helps soothe an awkward situation. So let's order some food. You can even pick the place."

Dean sits up with a dazzling smile that Cas can't resist kissing. They lose a few precious minutes as they taste each other all over again, but the threat of Sam walking in on them keeps things (mostly) PG. They pull apart, and Cas reluctantly watches Dean pull on the shirt he lends him before slipping his own over his head. Dean rifles through the drawer of take out menus Cas points him to, while Cas works on the laundry. And a half hour later, Sam is knocking on the door, and food is only another 15 minutes out.

Cas is nervous about how they're going to tell Sam about the mating, but Sam takes one look at him and his jaw drops. 

"What the hell is that?" And it's at that moment Cas realizes his shirt with its boatneck style has left his mating bite on glaring display. His hand flies up to cover the tender spot on his neck, but not before Sam pivots to see Dean standing there looking guilty as sin with his own bite glaringly obvious against his winter pale skin.

"You bit Cas?" Sam's shrill voice makes them both flinch, but Dean is the first to recover, his back going straight as he locks eyes with his brother.

"Yeah I did, and he bit me. Got a problem with that, Sam? Because we're both pretty happy about it."

Sam's eyes bounce from his brother to Castiel and back again, his mouth opening and shutting like a fish out of water. Cas decides to take pity on his friend and steps forward to place his hand on Sam's arm until the Alpha gives him his full attention.

"Sam, I know this is sudden, and there's a lot to talk about, but really everything was consensual, and we're excited to start this new journey together. The only thing that could make this better is your blessing."

Sam's face goes sappy now, and it makes Cas smile. Sam's always been a hopeless romantic. No matter how many terrible dates Cas went on, Sam had always been there to assure him the right Alpha was out there somewhere just waiting for Cas. Sam huffs out a put-upon sigh but wraps Cas up in a hug nonetheless. 

"So Cas gets a hug, and I get nothin'? Your own brother?"

"You can wait your turn, jerk."

Dean makes a mock offended sound in the back of his throat, and Cas laughs at the brother's antics feeling light and bubbly with happiness. When a second knock sounds at the door, Dean steps around the hugging pair to get their food.

Sam pulls away with a big smile on his face. Cas can see the moment the whole situation clicks in the Alpha's mind, though, because Sam's eyes bug out suddenly, and he looks like he just swallowed a bug.

"Oh my god Cas, what about--"

"He knows, Sam," Cas interrupts before Sam gives himself a coronary. "Dean knows everything, and it's all okay. Just come sit down, and we'll eat and fill you in."

They get set up in the living room with the pizza, wings, and stuffed cheese bread Dean had ordered, and for the first twenty minutes, the only sound is the three of them chewing as they devour the food in front of them.

Finally, Sam is the one to bring up the thought that Cas had been avoiding the most.

"So, how exactly is this going to work with Dean living in a different state?"

Cas waits with bated breath for Dean to answer. His Alpha holds up a single finger while he finishes chewing his bite of pizza, washing it down with soda since Cas still has no alcohol to speak of in the house.

"Actually, this is something I'd already planned to talk to you about, but you were so busy with work, I never got the chance. But since it affects us all now, I might as well spill the beans. I'm moving to California."

Sam looks shocked, and Cas could faint with how relieved he feels hearing Dean say that.

"When did this happen?"

Dean shrugs his shoulders like it's no big deal. "You know Bobby's been talking about retiring for a while now, and since he got all official with Ellen, they've got big plans to fix up some cabin up in the mountains. He offered to let me buy his share of the shop, but I've been wanting to focus on my restoration gig for the last few years. Had a couple of offers at my last car show but didn't want to leave Bobby hanging. Turns out Rufus, you remember him right?" Dean turns to Cas. "He's an old huntin' buddy of Bobby's. Well he's got a shop here that specializes in classic cars, and he said he'd give me an interview if I ever came out this way. I start at the end of next month so I've got time to move my stuff here."

Dean shifts awkwardly for a moment before looking at Cas apologetically. "I was, uh... gonna ask Sam if I could crash at his place till I found my own. Can still do that if it would make you more comfortable."

"It's cool with me to share if Cas doesn't want your annoying ass hanging around too much. I don't mind your stink." Sam is teasing, but Cas still shoots a glare at his friend.

"Of course I don't mind." Cas bumps his elbow gently against Dean's to weedle a smile from his Alpha. "I'd love to have you here with me Dean, and if it gets to be too much, I have a spare room also."

That seems to be enough to convince Dean of Cas' sincerity, and with that settled, they go back to eating dinner. It's nice having both Sam and Dean here with him. Instead of the usual lonely evening spent reading or zoned out in front of the tv, they talk and joke and laugh until they're all exhausted and Sam bids them goodnight.

Later, as Cas lies quietly in his Alpha's arms listening to his steady breathing, Cas thinks of what lies ahead. He thinks of short days spent learning what makes Dean's smile wide and carefree. He thinks of long nights spent tasting every hot inch of his Alpha's skin until he knows it all by heart. He thinks of house shopping and little baby giggles and big family dinners, and his heart swells with how badly he wants it all. Castiel doesn't know for sure what the future will bring them, but he has faith -- faith in himself and in Dean that they'll get their happy ending one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok now don't come at me with pitchforks! The status of Castiel's uterus will be addressed in the next chapter 😅. 
> 
> How are y'all feeling? Both about the fic and in general. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy out there. Love you all 💚💙💚💙💚💙


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are at the end, of all things. Thank you to every one of you for reading, leaving comments and kudos, this has been a real journey writing this during such a stressful time and I appreciate you all.
> 
> As always a huge thank you to [Beatrix_Kiddo](https://twitter.com/__Beatrixkiddo_) for being such an awesome beta and friend.
> 
> Please enjoy the epilogue for Nothing Ventured. ❤

The warm summer air wips through Dean's hair as he drives down the highway in his 1967 Chevy Impala, windows down and music cranked to help keep him awake on the last leg of his journey. He left his hotel before the sun was even up with the hopes of stumbling through his front door before dinner time. Car show season was finally over, and this would be his last trip alone until next year. 

Dean always loves the chance to show off his work with like-minded people, and he's met some of his most loyal clients through these big shows. But he misses home. He misses his mate and their memory foam mattress, he misses early mornings and late night feedings, he misses small sticky hands and breathless wild laughter. Dean misses his family so much, he aches with it and it makes his foot press that much harder on the gas. 

The Impala eats up the miles and at half past three, Dean pulls into the driveway of his house in the suburbs. They'd said goodbye to Cas' apartment a couple of years ago and put a down payment on the corner lot of a neighborhood just outside of the city. The kind of place you chose for the school district more than the aesthetic. Dean certainly never saw himself in a cookie cutter home on a block where he actually knew his neighbors by name, but here he was. Castiel had been especially pleased that the yard was big enough for a vegetable garden, a few scrappy chickens, and one very abundant bee hive. Dean was happy to cut his commute by almost an hour. He loves his car but she's a thirsty bitch, and Cas has a thing about the environment that Dean is convinced he picked up from Sam.

Rolling up the windows and locking the doors, Dean decides to leave his suitcase for later in favor of getting in the door faster. His keys jiggle in the lock, and almost instantly he can hear the pounding of little feet, and the exhaustion of the day's travel seems to just melt away when Dean swings open the door to be greeted by his three-year-old son. Felix is built solid as a tank with apple round cheeks and eyes so blue, they could make the ocean weep with jealousy. His hair is wild and dark and all Cas, and Dean loves him with his whole heart. His boy leaps into his arms with an excited cry, and Dean grunts as he lifts him up for a tight hug. Best welcoming committee a guy could ask for.

"Daddy, you all done work? Stay home now?" The muffled question against his shoulder makes Dean's insides ache. It takes a few days for the guilt of spending time away to wear off.

"Yeah buddy, I'm home now. No more work trips for me until next year." He drops kisses into his son's hair and takes a moment to just enjoy the weight and milk-sweet scent of him in his arms. Felix nuzzles into his shoulder, rubbing Dean's scent into his skin as little hands fist tight in his shirt.

"Dean, is that you? We're in the kitchen." Cas' voice floats from down the hall, making Dean crave the feeling of his Omega in his arms. Bouncing Felix as he walks just for the pleasure of hearing his soft baby giggles, Dean makes his way down to the kitchen. The house is a little older, so it lacks that open concept most modern day homes have. But Dean likes the homey feeling of having the kitchen in its own special room. 

Cas is standing at the sink with his back to the door when Dean enters. Looks like he's peeling potatoes. And off to the side in the gently rocking double swing are the twins Daniel and Robert. They're both sound asleep, so he presses a finger to his lips to remind Felix to not wake them. Last he'd talked to Cas, both babies were cutting teeth and had kept their Om' up all night. He gently places Felix down at his little table where he was obviously having a snack before Dean arrived. Once his arms are free, he slides up behind Cas who lets out a happy little hum as he presses back into Dean's chest. The Alpha wraps him in his arms, snaking his hands around to settle on the still subtle swell of their newest pup. They sway gently for a quiet moment, just happy to be together again.

"Missed you, sweetheart," Dean says, as he plants tender kisses along the line of Castiel's throat.

"Missed you too, Dean. The bed feels much too empty without you in it."

Cas turns in his arms and tilts his face up for a proper kiss, and Dean realizes his bump isn't as subtle as he thought it was. Cas had "popped" sometime while Dean was away, and there was no mistaking the roundness of his mate’s midsection for anything other than pregnant. Cas breaks their kiss to rest his head on Dean's shoulder, letting his Alpha take most of his weight, no doubt easing the strain on his lower back. Dean trails his hands down to the slight dip above Castiel's ass and digs his fingers into the sore muscles to help loosen them up. Cas lets out a sound Dean's only heard in the bedroom as he continues to massage his mate's sore muscles. He'll never stop being in awe of Cas and the grace and strength he maintains throughout each pregnancy. Dean's pretty sure if he was the one growing another person, he'd be a lot less functional. 

Cas' vocal appreciation for Dean's hands is loud enough to wake the twins, so with a final press of warm lips to Cas' temple, they pull apart. Cas goes back to peeling potatoes, and Dean takes on pup duty.

The twins are just over a year old now, and when they catch sight of Dean, he gets two matching gummy smiles, only a handful of teeth between them.

"Hey Danny, hey Robbie, did'ja have a good nap? Huh? Are you excited to see daddy?" Both boys are squealing and kicking their legs out in excitement while Dean tries to unbuckle them from their swing. The noise attracts Felix who's more than happy to help with his little brothers. Dean manages to get one pup on each hip when Felix holds up his arms with soft puppy dog eyes wanting to be picked up as well. With only one of him and three pups wanting attention, Dean just decides to plop his butt right there on the kitchen floor so he can hold all three of the boys in his lap. Felix doesn't waste any time wiggling in between the twins to make room for himself, and when Cas turns to see what's happening, his face splits in a smile so bright it could rival the sun. 

Dean is grateful every day that this is his life.

"It's good to have you home, Alpha," Cas whispers with eyes so soft and bright that Dean thinks when he dies, his heaven will be blue.

He plays on the floor with the boys until they lose interest and crawl over to Felix' table to paw at the sweet potato puffs scattered on the surface while their brother chatters away at them. Dean stands up with a groan, his knees popping along the way. Definitely getting too old to be sitting on the hard kitchen floor. Cas chuckles at the way he hobbles over to lean against the counter like an old man. 

"So what are you cooking up over here anyway?"

Cas gives him a little nudge so he can reach the cutting board behind him and starts chopping potatoes, so Dean grabs a knife out of the block to help out. 

"Well, it's such a nice day, I thought we could grill out on the patio and have burgers with oven fries and kale chips. I also made some macaroni salad because I knew you'd make that face when I said kale chips."

Dean's cheeks go pink as he realizes his nose is wrinkled up in disgust. He'd learned a while ago not to actually say anything negative about Cas' rabbit food, because Felix loves the green stuff, and Cas would kill him if he taught their son to turn his nose up at a vegetable. His mate laughs deep and rich, and it makes butterflies dance around Dean's gut like they haven't been waking up together for almost four years.

"None of that, Dean. It won't hurt you to eat a little something green. After all, we want our Alpha big and strong to help chase after all these pups."

That was one of the few downsides to having pups late in life: having half the energy he used to, but it was worth it. Dean would rather go to bed exhausted and happy than alone and young. 

When they'd found out Cas was pregnant with Felix only a few weeks after they'd mated, they’d had a long hard talk about any future plans they had for their family. Cas had been adamant that Dean seek out a second opinion about his infertility and, as it turned out, Dean wasn't completely sterile. He just had a very low sperm count. So low in fact, the only way for them to have biological pups was through IVF. Which meant with some help from a specialist and a whole lot of cash, they were able to continue growing their family. 

They had known they wanted more pups, so there was hardly space to breathe between each of Castiel's pregnancies, the Omega too afraid of losing his opportunity if they waited too long. After four pups in four years though, Cas and Dean had both agreed that was more than enough and that Cas' body needed a break after three back-to-back pregnancies. 

"I guess I can eat a couple of the kale chips if it will make you happy," Dean teases, making Cas roll his eyes fondly.

"My hero."

Dean laughs and lets the conversation die just enjoying the sound of little giggles and the rhythmic chopping as they worked together. It's been a good month since they fired up the grill, and his mouth is already watering at the thought of a juicy homemade burger.

"Oh shi-oot Cas, I never filled the tanks after that bbq last month. I'm going to have to go get propane."

Cas shakes his head as he grabs a big stainless steel colander to rinse the potatoes to get the excess starch off them.

"Nope. Sam already stopped by yesterday to do it. I wanted you to be able to come home and just relax."

"Awesome, is he coming tonight?"

Cas snorts. "Are you kidding me? He heard the words grill and burgers and almost floated away in a puddle of his own drool."

That punches a laugh out of Dean, and Cas shoots him a satisfied smirk. Sam usually comes over at least once a week for dinner since he moved in down the block. After he'd won the Copeland-Smith case, Sam's career had seen a major uptick and for a while, it felt like they hardly ever saw the big guy. The last year though, Sam's been feeling the pull to settle down. So he bought a house within spitting distance and a month later adopted a big dopey dog to walk around the neighborhood and dress up for holiday photos and generally be a dork over. He spoils his nephews even more than Dean does, and as far as Dean's concerned, he couldn't have dreamt up a better life than what he's currently living.

Once they have the potatoes going in the oven, they gather the kids to get them changed and freshened up. Dean helps Cas get settled into bed to rest for a bit while he keeps the pups occupied, and it's not too much longer before there's a loud knock at the door and Sam is walking in with his dog Sadie right on his heels.

Felix is the first to reach his Uncle while Dean takes a moment to pick up Robbie and Danny before they start squawking over the dog and wake up their Om'. Sadie's part mastiff and gigantic but just as big of a softie as her owner, and the boys love her. Sam gives him a wide grin and a slap on the back in greeting as Dean herds everyone outside so Cas can rest.

Sam and Sadie keep the pups busy in the backyard, Robbie laughing so hard at the way Sadie's tail wags that he falls over on his side, and Felix running around picking a bouquet of Cas' wildflowers for the table. Danny is a bit more needy, so Sam has him perched on his hip while he throws a ball for the dog. Dean gets the grill fired up and pulls the fries out of the oven. The kale chips are sitting in a bowl on the counter, and the macaroni salad is easy to find in the fridge along with a couple of beers for him and Sammy, a cold water for Cas, and little juice boxes for the pups.

All in all, Dean is feeling good as he slaps the burger patties on the grill and watches his brother with his boys. He's secretly hoping this last one will be a girl, though he'll be just as happy and proud if they have another son. Dean's just thinking of going in to wake Cas when he hears the sliding door open and catches the scent of sweet lemon. 

"Thank you Dean, I needed that." Cas comes out with an arm load of burger fixings and a pack of buns, and Dean curses a little for not getting to it sooner. They're a good team, him and Cas, and while there had certainly been a learning curve when they first moved in together, they were like a well-oiled machine now. 

Dean helps Cas set the table and get the highchairs from inside as well as Felix' booster seat. Cas pats his butt as he walks by and gives him a little wink that still has the power to make Dean blush. They steal a few kisses as Dean flips the meat, and with the sun shining low in the California sky and just enough breeze to keep them from roasting, Dean has to agree this was a great day to grill.

As everyone gathers around the table and they make up plates for the boys and Sam laughs at a joke Cas tells him and the dog lies at their feet, Dean feels grateful for little brothers, the scent of lemon, and the day he first laid eyes on Cas in a 50's style diner and fell in love with the color blue.

♡The End♡

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so fun to write and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed reading all your lovely comments! 
> 
> Stay safe out there folks and until next time I bid you farewell 😘
> 
> Feel free to come find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/dragonsgotenks)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay how are we feeling? I'm actually really excited for this one!
> 
> Feel free to come chat with me on [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/dragonSgotenks)


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